Cardiac experts have released new threshold limits of high blood pressure for American People

Now-a-days high blood pressure is considered as silent killer and main reason of heart related diseases. In America, heart diseases are leading cause of deaths. They will have to follow the new guidelines, do exercise and eat healthy diet to lower this rate.

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Leading heart experts of American College of Cardiology have just released new limits of blood pressure which are 130/80. So millions of Americans will have to think to lower their blood pressure thresholds. They will have to change their lifestyle to meet new limits.

Under new threshold limits, the number of adults suffering from hypertension will increase to 103 million while it was 72 million previously. It means more and more people have to start drugs or increase dosage to meet the new standards.

Now a person who has 130/80 blood pressure or higher, will have significant chances of heart attack. Previous high blood pressure was defined as 140/90. The first number shows pressure of blood on vessels when heart is contracting and is called systolic pressure. The second lower number shows the pressure of blood on vessels when heart is resting and is called diastolic pressure.

Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are equally important for diagnosis. However systolic pressure becomes more critical in elderly people as with growing age, cholesterol builds up in arteries and they become stiffen and thus systolic pressure increases which is reason of heart attack. Early diagnosis can help us to reduce the arteries damage.

Due to these reasons, heart disease is often called as silent killer. We are feeling fine until suddenly heart stroke or attack occurs which can be fatal.

Experts have recommended that patients must use a calculator designed by the committee to know their heart attack risks. This calculator is available here. It is shocking to know that half of all American adults and 80% old people above 65 age will have to take measures to lower their blood pressure.

According to Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist, changes in lifestyle like regular exercise and healthy diet can help heart patients to lower their blood pressure.

American Health Association has released following chart to understand blood pressure readings and necessary action.

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Now how to reduce high blood pressure?

Experts have released guidelines to lower the high blood pressure as below:

• Regular exercise reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressures to significant extent.
• Weight loss reduces high blood pressure up to 20mm of mercury.
• Sodium intake must be reduced to recommended intake of 2400 mg daily.
• Quit smoking and stress because that lead to creating problems with blood carrying nerves.

These are the simple steps which can help us to reduce the chances of cardiac diseases.

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