Table of Contents
Advertisement
ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
What is blood pressure?
The heart creates a force as it pushes blood into the arteries and through the
blood circulation system. The arteries create another force as they resist the
blood flow. Blood pressure is the result of these two forces.
What constitutes high blood pressure?
According to the Joint National Committee 7 (JNC 7) definitions, when systolic blood
pressure exceeds 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure exceeds 90 mmHg, this
constitutes high blood pressure (see figure below)
JNC7 Classification Table
Range
Stage 2 Hypertension
Stage 1 Hypertension
Prehypertension
Normal
SOURCE: The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on
Prevention, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure for Adults.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute - may 2003.
WHO Classification Table - for adults outside of the U.S. (e.g. Canada, mexico)
Range
Stage 3 Hypertension
Stage 2 Hypertension
Stage 1 Hypertension
High-Normal
Normal
Optimal
SOURCE: Standards to assess high blood pressure, without regard to age or
gender, have been established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Systolic
1 60 mmHg
≧
≧
140-159 mmHg
90-99 mmHg
120-139 mmHg
80-89 mmHg
< 120 mmHg
Systolic
1 80 mmHg
≧
≧
160-179 mmHg
100-109 mmHg
140-159 mmHg
90-99 mmHg
130-139 mmHg
85-89 mmHg
< 130 mmHg
< 120 mmHg
4
Diastolic
1 00 mmHg
< 80 mmHg
Diastolic
1 10 mmHg
< 85 mmHg
< 80 mmHg
1
Advertisement
Table of Contents
