What system in the body controls automatic actions like heart rate and blood pressure?

When you get your blood pressure taken, you will see that there are two numbers: the systolic is the first or top number and the diastolic is the second or bottom number. If y…our blood pressure is 120 over 80, which for many years was considered the stereotypically healthy blood pressure but is now considered borderline high, then 120 is your systolic blood pressure and 80 is your diastolic blood pressure. Pressure is normally measured in PSI, which means?

Pressure per square inch.? You can think of your arteries as the tubes in a bicycle tire. Just as you measure the pressure of the air in your tire, you can measure the pressure of your blood in your arteries. Because blood pressure used to be measured by the movement of mercury in a blood-pressure reading apparatus, much like in an old-style thermometer, it is measured in mmHg, or?

Millimeters of mercury.?Your systolic blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure in your arteries when your heart muscle contracts. Your diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest. Your systolic pressure should be below 120.

S between 120 and 139 you have borderline high systolic pressure or prehypertension, and if it? S 140 or higher you have high systolic pressure or hypertension. Your diastolic pressure should be under 80.

S between 80 and 89 you have borderline high diastolic pressure or prehypertension, and if it? S 90 or over you have high diastolic pressure, or hypertension.In young adults a high diastolic reading is a strong predictor of stroke or heart attack, but for most people a high systolic reading is more dangerous, especially if the difference between systolic and diastolic is great. Systolic hypertension is often related to hardening of the arteries and/or the heart walls, and is more common in those over 50.

Just like in the bicycle tire tube mentioned earlier, if there is too much pressure in your arteries this can cause weaker spots to bulge out. In the case of arteries, this is called an aneurysm, which is potentially life threatening. Through a complex series of events, high blood pressure can also cause hardening and narrowing of the arteries.

This can block the flow of blood to your brain, causing a stroke, or to your heart, causing a heart attack, or to your kidneys, causing kidney failure. But even partial blockages can lead to serious long-term health effects including dementia, mini strokes, heart failure, an enlarged heart, kidney failure, blindness and sexual dysfunction. Blood pressure is normally considered a problem when it?

S too high as opposed to too low. Medical professionals have yet to reach a consensus on whether low blood pressure is dangerous. In general, fit and healthy people with no symptoms associated with low blood pressure are considered fine.

If you have low blood pressure and display symptoms including lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, lack of concentration, blurred or darkened vision, depression, clamminess and rapid, shallow breathing, then you should see your doctor.To prevent hypertension, eat a healthy balanced diet, control your weight, get regular and consistent exercise and limit your alcohol use. Controlling sodium intake is also important. T add salt to your food, but also be aware that prepackaged foods and food made in restaurants?