PLANNING YOUR ESTATE... Are you making any of the 5 top mistakes? Get Your Free, No Obligation Report Five Things to AvoidWhen PlanningYour Estate Please email lmullin@ontario.cancer.ca or call 1-800-268-8874 ext 7055 Or send this coupon with your name and address to: Laura Mullin Development Officer Canadian Cancer Society 55 St Clair Ave W, Suite 500 Toronto ON M4V 2Y7 Health Blood pressure was measured historically on howmany millimetres it would raise a standard column of mercury (mmHg), but most instruments now use different digital technology to achieve the same readings. Blood pressure readings are recorded as systolic, the upper reading and diastolic, the lower reading. Systolic pressure is when the maximumpressure is reached in the artery during contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. The diastolic pressure measures the remaining pressure in the artery when the heart is in a period of relaxation as the ventricle fills with blood. As an example, blood pressure is then recorded as 110/70. Normal blood pressure is present when most doctor’s office blood pressure recordings are recorded at or below 120/80. High normal pressures are elevations in either systolic or diastolic or both, between normal and 140/90. Anything higher than those levels leads to a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Diabetics should consider aiming for levels five points below these numbers due to their higher risk of complications. Persons over 80 years of age still need treatment, but blood pressure recordings can be marginally higher – including for individuals receiving treatment. Blood pressure recordings can vary depending on the location at which it was taken, the equipment used to record the pressure and the degree of relaxation and other issues when the measurement is being done. We are all aware of the “white coat syndrome,” the elevated pressures routinely reported for certain individuals in the doctor’s office setting. Blood pressures taken at home are often lower than in other settings and experts agree that, when these readings are made, a five-point addition should probably be made to reflect a more accurate assessment. A number of different sites including the office setting, home and pharmacy machines can give the best information on one’s BP level, either for diagnosis confirmation or as a method of monitoring the results of treatment. CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 47
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