Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Normal blood pressure for an adult is considered to be a pressure not exceeding 140/90 mm. Hg st. The first digit shows the systolic pressure, i.e. pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts. The second digit shows diastolic pressure, i.e. when the heart muscle is relaxed between two contractions. A pressure above 140/90 already indicates hypertension (high blood pressure) when the risk of heart disease and strokes increases. Modern electronic devices measuring blood pressure give a slightly high pressure reading compared to old, traditional tonometers with a switch. Electronic tonometers use a fundamentally different principle of pressure measurement – oscillometric (they are more sensitive due to the use of modern electronic pressure sensors) and this must be taken into account when choosing (buying) a tonometer. Continue reading →