1. What is Blood Pressure Category?

Definition: Blood pressure categories help classify your blood pressure readings into different levels of health risk.

Purpose: Understanding your blood pressure category helps assess cardiovascular health risks and determine if medical attention is needed.

2. How Are Categories Determined?

Categories are based on both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure measurements:

Explanation: The higher number (systolic or diastolic) determines your category when they fall into different ranges.

3. Importance of Blood Pressure Monitoring

Details: Regular monitoring helps detect hypertension early, which is crucial since high blood pressure often has no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your most recent blood pressure readings (systolic and diastolic). For accurate results, measure after resting for 5 minutes.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if my systolic and diastolic fall into different categories?
A: Your overall category is determined by the higher of the two numbers.

Q2: How often should I check my blood pressure?
A: Adults should have it checked at least once every 2 years, or more often if you have risk factors.

Q3: What should I do if my reading is in the hypertensive crisis range?
A: Seek immediate medical attention if you get repeated readings in this range.

Q4: Can one high reading mean I have hypertension?
A: No, diagnosis requires multiple elevated readings on different days.

Q5: What affects blood pressure readings?
A: Stress, caffeine, exercise, medications, and time of day can all affect readings.