Summary of the latest blood pressure guidelines: This a change from the old blood pressure guidelines for hypertension, which was a systolic reading of 140 mm Hg or higher, and a diastolic reading of 80 mm Hg or higher. Hypertension is according to the latest blood pressure guidelines now defined as a systolic reading of 130 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic reading of 80 mm Hg or higher. Secondary hypertension, the term given to only 5 to 10% of cases, can be caused by a number of factors, amongst them kidney or heart disease and hardening of the arteries. If there is no obvious cause for hypertension, which is often the case, it is called primary hypertension.
High blood pressure is termed hypertension, low blood pressure is hypotension. The diastolic blood pressure, the 80 as illustrated in the blood pressure chart, is the resting pressure, which is between beats when the pressure decreases before the next heart pumping action. The systolic blood pressure, the 120 as illustrated in the blood pressure chart, is the pressure reading as the heart pumps blood out from the ventricle into the veins. Blood pressure ranges are usually written using the systolic blood pressure number before or above the diastolic blood pressure number, for example 120/80 mmHg.
