Tom asked:
i went to albertsons a few times last week and they have a machine in the back of the store where you can measure your blood pressure. mine was something like 156/87 which according to the scale they had is very high blood pressure. i’m 18 yrs old, i weigh 150 lbs, and i exercise a few times a week. what are the risks of high blood pressure and how can i prevent it?
i went to albertsons a few times last week and they have a machine in the back of the store where you can measure your blood pressure. mine was something like 156/87 which according to the scale they had is very high blood pressure. i’m 18 yrs old, i weigh 150 lbs, and i exercise a few times a week. what are the risks of high blood pressure and how can i prevent it?
First, this is not a “very high” blood pressure reading. And, you had just walked in there and then took your blood pressure. You need to sit quietly for 10 minutes minimum before taking any blood pressure if you want to get a reading that is anything close to what a person usually runs. And, those store blood pressure machines are notorious for giving inaccurate readings. In the meantime, daily exercise, eating healthy foods which means whole grain breads and cereals, skim milk, fresh fruits and vegetables and small amounts of protein per day will keep you healthy and hopefully, your blood pressure low. Sometimes, though, if you have a family history of hypertension, you may have it too even though you do everything right to keep your numbers down. Then, medication is needed.
When you said 156/87 I was picturing a 65 year old man.
You’re either an obese circus midget or you eat potato chips and pizza every night. I’m going to guess you’re eating potato chips and pizza every night. Sodium makes you retain water and most Americans get 10 times what they need from their diet.
Some people are also sensitive to alcohol.
What will it do to you if you don’t figure out what’s going wrong here? You’ll develop old people’s diseases before you really expect them. Heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, you’re running all your plumbing and your pump at a higher pressure than it’s designed for and something’s got to give.
Talk to a doctor. They’re expensive but they can give you more individualized advice and probably won’t suggest the possibility of you being morbidly obese and four feet tall.
EDIT: Yes, if they let you walk up to the machine they did it wrong. First responder is right.