"The older you get, and the more obsessed with your health, the more it feels as if life comes down to numbers: how many more years you can expect; your lean body mass; your percentage of visceral fat; how dense your bones are; how many kilos you can squat; how long you can deadhang; how often you still do it; your levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol; your resting heart rate; your overnight blood oxygen level; how quickly you can run;"
"And unless you measure your blood pressure, you may not know it's a problem. That's why it's often described as a silent killer. Low pressure is no joke either. But because it will make you dizzy and possibly even faint, you're more likely to realise something's up. Sitting comfortably? Relax for five minutes with your arm at heart level before measuring."
"Now 62, I've had high blood pressure, AKA hypertension, since at least my early 50s probably much longer given that alcohol, stress and excess weight are risk factors and I spent half of my life as a worried, bloated drunk. So I take medicine every day one little capsule of ramipril, originally 5mg and now 2.5mg. This is an unremarkable sort of dose: the most that's usually prescribed is 10mg."
Many aspects of health are quantified by numbers, but some metrics matter more than others. Blood pressure deserves particular attention because prolonged elevation strains and narrows arteries, damages organs, and promotes blockages, bulging, bleeding and bursts that lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, vision problems and dementia. High blood pressure can be asymptomatic, so measurement is essential. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness or fainting and is more likely to be noticed. Simple measurement steps include sitting comfortably and relaxing for five minutes with the arm at heart level before recording readings. Medication such as ramipril is commonly used to manage hypertension.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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