Young adults in their 20s sometimes fail to consider certain health risks that can typically be associated with the aging process, such as blood pressure levels. However, young adults should try to be mindful of blood pressure levels from an early age because high
Young adults in their 20s sometimes fail to consider certain health risks that can typically be associated with the aging process, such as blood pressure levels. However, young adults should try to be mindful of blood pressure levels from an early age because high blood pressure poses risks to people of all life stages. In order to decrease these risks, it’s imperative young adults understand what the numbers associated with blood pressure levels mean and how blood pressure affects overall health.
Blood pressure is composed of two numbers and comes in the form of a fraction. Systolic blood pressure (the first/top number) – indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure (the second/bottom number) – indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls while the heart is resting between beats. Depending on what range of numbers your blood pressure falls in, you may be at low, moderate or high risk for high blood pressure.
The five levels of blood pressure include:
- Normal: 120/80 mm
- In this stage, it is recommended to proceed with heart-healthy habits such as regularly exercising and a balanced diet to maintain a healthy “normal” blood pressure level.
- Elevated: 120-129 systolic and less than 80 mm diastolic
- In this “in-between” stage, blood pressure is not high yet, but there is a slight increase in risk since it is over the normal level. It is advised to start taking preventative measures against high blood pressure if one has not begun to do so already.
- Hypertension Stage 1: 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic
- This stage involves doctors recommending lifestyle changes and/ or medication to reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases and complications such as heart attacks and strokes.
- Hypertension Stage 2: 140/90 mm or higher
- During this stage of high blood pressure, doctors will likely try to combine both medication and a variety of lifestyle changes to reduce high risk for cardiovascular disease.
- Hypertensive Crisis: 180/ 120 mm
- This stage requires immediate medical attention. If you suspect that your blood pressure is within this range, it is recommended to check blood pressure again after a few minutes and call 911 immediately if it’s still too high. This stage of high blood pressure can result in organ damage, chest pain, weakness and more during the period when blood pressure is extremely high.
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