Fitness and Care

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted against the walls of our arteries. This definition is according to the National Heart Association (AHA). It affects tens of millions of people in this country and about a third of them are not aware that they have this condition. This is why it is often referred to as the “silent killer”. When blood pressure is tested it is represented by two numbers called systolic and diastolic. One is created when the heart pumps blood into the circulatory system and the other is the force of the arteries as they resist blood flow.

When you see your blood pressure reading it will look like 120/80 mmHg. The way this is read is 120 over 80. 120 is your systolic number and 80 are the diastolic. This level of 120/80 in considered optimal for adults. Prehypertension is defined as systolic between 120 to 139 mmHg or when diastolic pressure of 80 to 89. Prehypertension is a condition that needs to be monitored. High blood pressure is when your numbers exceed 140 or 90.

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No matter how much of a cliché it may sound, the maxim that prevention is better than cure applies – especially when it comes to men’s health. The reason why this is so is because when you look at the top 10 leading causes of deaths in males in the United States, you would see that they are actually perfectly preventable.

To give you an idea, here is a quick list of the top 10 leading causes of deaths in males in the United States for 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

1. Heart disease, 27.2% of total deaths

2. Cancer, 24.3% of total deaths

3. Unintentional injuries, 6.1% of total deaths

4. Stroke, 5% of total deaths

5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, 5% of total deaths

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