Blood Pressure Testing - Chequerfield Pharmacy, Pontefract

What is blood pressure?

Your blood pressure varies throughout the day, due to your circadian rhythm (the body’s daily hormonal cycle), your activity levels, what you’ve eaten, stress, tiredness, hydration etc. Your body chooses when and where to increase pressure in your arteries as required. Blood pressure testing is a normal part of any check-up, measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). It is a simple and effective way of monitoring the pressure with which your blood is being pumped through your arteries. It’s recommended that all adults over 40 years of age have their blood pressure tested at least every 5 years, so any potential problems can be detected early.

What are the types of blood pressure?

Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure (140/90mm Hg or higher) puts more strain on your arteries as they lose their elasticity and they become hard and narrow. This narrowing makes atheroma (fatty cholesterol) easier to build up which can lead to risks of heart attacks and strokes. It can also be the cause of smaller blood vessels in different parts of the body. High blood pressure can also cause damage to vital organs as the high pressure impacts on soft tissue.

Hypotension, or low blood pressure (90/60mm Hg or lower), is less severe than high blood pressure with very little symptoms, but it can still put your body at risk of dizziness, sickness, weakness and fainting.

What can I do to lower my blood pressure?

If your blood pressure reading is between 120/80mm Hg and 140/90mm Hg then you may be at risk of developing high blood pressure. If this is detected, you will be asked to monitor your blood pressure regularly and you may be asked to have blood tests to determine if there is any damage to your kidneys or liver.

To help lower your blood pressure:

If you’re due a blood pressure check-up, please drop in to Chequerfield Pharmacy, Pontefract today or give us a call.