Is 150/90 A Good Blood Pressure? Let’s Find Out!
Monitoring our blood pressure is essential if you want to stay healthy and fit in the long run. That means you need to know if 150 over 90 is good blood pressure or not. You must have a good idea of what blood pressure you need to have based on your age. The last thing you want is to encounter is high blood pressure, as that can be very problematic for your body and it comes with major side effects.
What is Hypertension?
Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension shows that your blood pressure is much higher than normal. Hypertension can end up damaging your kidneys, heart, and blood vessels if the pressure is too high. In time, it can lead to a stroke or a heart attack. It’s important to know how to read your blood pressure to track and see if there are indeed any issues.
The blood pressure reading will have a systolic and diastolic number, the top one is systolic and the bottom one is diastolic. They are provided in the form of a ratio, for example, you can have 130/90 mmHg.
When Can You Say That You Have Hypertension Related Problems?
You will notice that hypertension problems can differ based on age. Ideally, you want to have the systolic number 120 or less and the diastolic number under 90 to avoid any hypertension.
A systolic number of 121 to 139 and a diastolic number between 81 to 89 will show a medium risk of hypertension. Once we get over 140 and 90 respectively, that means you have a very high chance of dealing with hypertension.
So, is 150/90 a good blood pressure? As you can see, it’s over the smallest high-risk number, which means it’s extremely problematic and you can encounter problems.
There are exceptions, however, if you have diabetes you want the blood pressure to be less than 130/80. People over 80 want to have less than 150 over 90.
What Happens If You Have a Short Term Blood Pressure Change?
You don’t need to worry that much if the blood pressure is changing a little bit during the day. Things like sleeping, stress, exercising, and so on will cause blood pressure changes. Even some medical products will end up bringing a high blood pressure, so your readings can be all over the place.
It will take some trial and error to see what activities are raising the blood pressure and what keeps it low. You need to understand what brings in such a problem, and if you handle it correctly the results can be great.
Don’t be afraid of some blood pressure changes here and there. But once you see the blood pressure rising all the time without any signs of decreasing, then that’s the time when you want to go to the doctor and really see what’s actually going on and what you can do.
Hypertension Symptoms That You Need to be Aware of:
- Usually, the most common hypertension symptoms are anxiety, chest pain, and shortness of breath. You will also notice that some people will also have a severe headache and blurry vision.
However, you need to know whether is 150/90 a good blood pressure or not or if you have a higher blood pressure value.
Taking your blood pressure routinely will help you see if the blood pressure is over 130/90 or 140/90. If that happens, then it’s not normal and you need to consult a doctor as quickly as possible. When you do have a higher value than usual, we recommend you to stay calm. Anxiety increases blood pressure.
Even if there’s a high value, that doesn’t mean it’s something extremely complicated. You want to be 100% sure that you de-stress and focus on calming down as much as you can.
It will make things easier if you prevent any possible stressors from taking over.
Should My Blood Pressure Always Be Under 140/90?
Yes, once it spikes over that number there will be some issues. You need to make sure that you understand why the blood pressure is raised and why it is happening.
Keeping numbers low is very important because the last thing you want is to deal with any kind of high blood pressure issues. It’s a good idea to readjust your lifestyle to ensure that there are fewer stressors and problems that can arise.
Does it Matter if I Usually Eat Salty Foods? Is This Affecting my Blood Pressure?
Salty foods and adding salt to foods, in general, will end up being problematic for you. Salt is known for the fact that it does increase blood pressure naturally. That’s why you need to monitor it as much as possible, and that means eating less salty foods.
Preparing your own food at home and starting to work out can really make things a lot easier for you. It does take a little bit of time to adjust to this, but it’s worth it and that’s what matters the most.
Do You Need Medication?
For the most part, you will notice that blood pressure medication is not necessarily needed right away. The lifestyle changes that we mentioned earlier can really make a huge difference.
But if for some reason, these changes are not offering you the value you need, then you must try blood pressure medication. There are multiple over the counter options you can check out, although it’s important to listen to the doctor.
Some of them might be a lot better for you when compared to others. So that means having a customized medication system to suit your own health.
Is There Any Cure for High Blood Pressure?
There’s no cure for high blood pressure at this time. Most people will undergo lifelong therapy to keep things under control. Constant monitoring, dietary changes, and a very specific workout routine are things you will need to go through in order to solve this type of problem.
You need to adjust to this, and if you handle it right, you will feel better. However, you need to go to the doctor often and ensure everything is working the way you want. There are obvious challenges that can appear, but with proper care and attention, you will be able to make everything work the way you expect.
Are There Any Methods You Can use to Prevent Hypertension?
A good thing you can do is to limit the alcohol intake. Drinking a lot of alcohol is usually connected to having high blood pressure.
Drinking alcohol 3 times a week in moderation should not cause any problems. Cutting down on caffeine is just as important.
Another good idea is to lose weight. If you’re overweight, then your heart has to work harder in order to pump blood throughout your body.
Losing some weight can really make a difference.
Smoking can put you at risk of a stroke or heart attack. While it doesn’t affect the blood pressure directly, it will still lead to the same issues caused by high blood pressure. This is why it makes a lot of sense to stop drinking and smoking, as they are not good for you and they can end up causing major health issues in the long run.
Lastly, you may want to shift towards a healthier diet. Cut down the amount of salt in your food considerably, and also make sure that you go for a diet low on pasta, fruit, rice, and whole grains. Avoid processed food, fast food, or anything unhealthy.
So, is 150/90 a good blood pressure or not? When you have this blood pressure it’s important to stay calm and go to the doctor. The recommended blood pressure levels are 130/90 or lower, and even then these values can be high for some age categories.
However, 150/90 is too high and it’s important to have a medical professional check that for you. Make sure that you work with an expert to track and monitor your heart health.
My name is Phyllis Robinson MSN, RN. I have been a Registered Nurse for 27 years in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. I am passionate about cardiac care and heart disease. I also want this blog to be an educational tool that people can refer to for traditional and alternative treatment. I will blog on heart disorders such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and high cholesterol.
I received my Nursing degree from Baltimore Community College.
I went on to receive my Masters in Nursing from Walden University
I have worked for almost 30 years in Critical Care with a focus on heart health. I am an advocate of preventive healthcare.