The level of a person's blood pressure condition is determined through the classification of hypertension. Classification of hypertension is made to see whether a person's blood pressure is at a safe level or vice versa.
Based on the cause, hypertension is divided into 2 groups, namely primary/essential hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension is hypertension with no known exact cause, on the other hand secondary hypertension is hypertension caused by other underlying diseases.
More than 90 percent of hypertension cases fall into the category of primary hypertension, while secondary hypertension only accounts for 2 to 10 percent of the total hypertension cases.
Hypertension Classification
In the blood pressure examination, the systolic and diastolic pressures are measured. Blood pressure is classified as normal if the systolic is less than 120 mmHg and diastolic is less than 80 mmHg, or it is usually written as 120/80 mmHg.
The following is a classification of grades in other hypertension:
Prehypertension
A systolic blood pressure of 120–139 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80–89 mmHg is classified as prehypertension. Individuals with prehypertension are classified as having a higher risk of developing hypertension.
So if your blood pressure is 110/85 mmHg or 130/79 mmHg, you are classified as an individual at risk for hypertension. In this condition, lifestyle changes are needed to reduce your risk of developing hypertension in the future.
Hypertension grade 1
Systolic blood pressure 140–159 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 90–99 mmHg. If your systolic or diastolic blood pressure is in this range, you will need treatment because of the higher risk of organ damage.
Hypertension grade 2
Systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg. At this stage, patients usually need more than one drug. Damage to organs may have occurred, as well as cardiovascular disorders, although not necessarily symptomatic.
Hypertension crisis
If your blood pressure suddenly exceeds 180/120 mmHg, you have a hypertensive crisis. At this stage, you should contact your doctor immediately, especially if you experience signs of organ damage such as chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, changes in vision, or difficulty speaking.
Blood pressure is strongly influenced by psychological factors or body condition during examination. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis of hypertension, it is necessary to take blood measurements at least 2 times with an interval of 1 week.
If in 2 measurements your blood pressure results are significantly different, the result that will be taken is the result of a higher blood pressure measurement.
Various Hypertension Risk Factors
One of the risk factors for hypertension is increasing age. In women, high blood pressure usually occurs from the age of 65 years. Meanwhile, in men starting at the age of 45 years.
Several chronic disease conditions are also considered risk factors for hypertension, including diabetes, sleep disorders, and kidney disease. For those of you who have family members who have hypertension, your risk of developing hypertension will also increase.
In addition, there are several other risk factors that are heavily influenced by lifestyle, such as:
1. Stress
Stressful conditions and all events that can trigger stress can increase blood pressure. If the stress experienced is heavy and occurs for a long time, the possibility of experiencing hypertension becomes greater.
2. Too much salt consumption
The nature of salt in the body is to retain fluids. If too much fluid is retained in the blood vessels, the workload of the heart and blood vessels increases, thereby increasing blood pressure.
3. Potassium deficiency
Potassium is helpful in reducing salt in the body. When there is a lack of potassium, the body cannot reduce salt levels. As previously stated, too much salt will increase blood pressure.
4. Overweight
The body needs blood to supply oxygen. The heavier the body, the more blood is needed. Therefore, the more blood that passes through the blood vessels, the higher the pressure on the artery walls, which means blood pressure increases.
5. Not physically active
People who regularly do physical activities such as sports, have a lower resting heart rate than those who are not physically active. The higher the heart rate, the harder the heart works, and the stronger the pressure on the walls of the blood vessels.
Hypertension Prevention Measures
Even though your blood pressure is classified as safe, you still have to take preventive steps, so that you avoid the risk of developing hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
As you age, precautions also become more important, as systolic pressure tends to increase after you're 50 and over. The following are some preventive measures that can help lower or prevent hypertension:
- Reduce salt consumption
- Reduce caffeine consumption
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Do exercise
- Maintain weight
- Managing stress
Blood pressure is one of the vital signs of the body. That is, this sign can indicate a person's overall health. Therefore, blood pressure checks are one of the checks that need to be carried out regularly so that you can find out which classification of hypertension you belong to.
If a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure measuring device) is available, you can do a blood pressure check independently at home. If not, check your blood pressure to the doctor at least 1-2 years. However, if it turns out that there is high blood pressure, you must follow the control schedule recommended by the doctor.