Approximately one third of all American adults have high blood pressure.

About 69% of people who have a first heart attack, 77% who have a first stroke, and 74% who have congestive heart failure have blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg.

It’s undeniable, there’s a strong connection between high blood pressure and serious health problems.

And that means tracking blood pressure is essential to assure your blood pressure doesn’t escalate and cause you to become another statistic, but many people ask, “Why is tracking blood pressure important?”

Why is Tracking Blood Pressure Important?

Why is tracking blood pressure important? Seems like a simple, obvious question. But sadly, many do not know how high blood pressure can impact their health and how tracking blood pressure can lead to life-changing and even life-saving changes.

Adults of all ages are affected by high blood pressure, but the chances and prevalence of high blood pressure increase with age.

Most adults in their 20s and 30s usually do not deal with high blood pressure worries, so they tend to eat whatever they want and throw caution to the wind when it comes to exercise and following other health habits.

However, 15 to 20 years down the line, repercussions from past decisions collide with the effects of age as well as an absence of tracking blood pressure like they should.

The result can be high blood pressure and a higher risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

When and Where Do I Track My Blood Pressure?

For those who do not have high blood pressure and are under 50, experts recommend you check your blood pressure at a minimum of every 5 years.

Those with high blood pressure and/or are over 50 should get their blood pressure checked at least once a year.

Getting your blood pressure checked doesn’t require a doctor and can be done in so many simple ways.

First of all, getting your blood pressure checked is completely painless and only takes about a minute. There is no excuse of being afraid of needles or not having the time.

Second of all, you don’t even have to make a doctor’s appointment. Many pharmacies have a free blood pressure machine that will accurately tell you your blood pressure levels.

Make sure you record you reading in a safe spot so you can refer to it when visiting your doctor or comparing against previous readings.

Check your number online to see if it’s healthy or not. If it’s not, call your doctor to discuss the best way to lower your blood pressure.

At-Home Blood Pressure Monitor

Another option is an at-home blood pressure machine. An at-home monitor makes checking your blood pressure more convenient than needing to go elsewhere to test your blood pressure.

Though it’s not free or maybe cheap, the doctor’s may be your safest and best bet to get a full blood pressure check up. They will use the same pump mechanism to read your blood pressure. But the doctor will have suggestions for you if you need to lower your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high, we also recommend taking an l-arginine supplements.

Tracking your blood pressure will also be much easier through a doctor since they can follow up with you and keep all your history on record, which may be more reliable than you jotting it down on your own.

When to Be Concerned

Your doctor will tell you if your numbers are too high and to be concerned, but there are ways you can check as well.

Here is a chart of what your blood pressure numbers mean and how you can track them and keep them from getting too high:

Being 120/80 is normal, but anything higher is counted as pre-hypertension and high blood pressure.

If you have pre-hypertension, you should be concerned because you do not want your blood pressure to go any higher.

At this point, you’ve entered a dangerous zone where, if not taken care of, your blood pressure can shoot up and cause serious problems to your health.

Talk to your doctor to get your blood pressure under control by tracking it and using suggestions your doctor gives you.

If you already have high blood pressure, changing your diet and exercise routines can greatly benefit your health and drop your numbers down.

Taking your health seriously will produce the best result and health you can have.

Resources

http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/monitoring-blood-pressure

https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_462020.pdf