NBHWC Exam Questions and Answers Grade A+

blood pressure - the pressure that is exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels systolic blood pressure - the pressure created when the heart contracts and forces blood out into the arteries diastolic pressure - Blood pressure that remains between heart contractions. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (2003 Guideline) - Normal systolic: less than 120 mm Hg diastolic: less than 80 mm Hg At Risk (prehypertension) systolic: 120-139 mm Hg diastolic: 80-89 mm Hg High Blood Pressure (hypertension) systolic: 140 mm Hg or higher diastolic: 90 mm Hg or higher The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults (2017 Guideline)1 - Normal systolic: less than 120 mm Hg diastolic: less than 80 mm Hg Elevated systolic: 120-129 mm Hg diastolic: less than 80 mm Hg High blood pressure (hypertension) systolic: 130 mm Hg or higher diastolic: 80 mm Hg or higher What are the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure? - High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have high blood pressure What causes high blood pressure? - High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also happen during pregnancy. What problems does high blood pressure cause? - High blood pressure can damage your health in many ways. It can seriously hurt important organs like your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. Heart Attack and Heart Disease - High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease. In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can cause: Chest pain, also called angina. Heart attack, which happens when the blood supply to your heart is blocked and heart muscle begins to die without enough oxygen. The longer the blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage to the heart. Heart failure, a condition that means your heart can't pump enough blood and oxygen to your other organs. Stroke and Brain Problems re: HTN - High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke. Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities. A stroke can also kill you. Having high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is linked to having poorer cognitive function and dementia later in life. Learn more about the link between high blood pressure and dementia from the National Institutes of Health's Mind Your Risks®external icon campaign. Kidney Disease Increased Risk - Adults with diabetes, high blood pressure, or both have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease than those without these conditions.