Blood pressure 164/64 - what does it mean?
Your blood pressure reading of 164/64 indicates Hypertension Stage 2. It is the second stage of high blood pressure.
Hypertension Stage 2 means that the heart has to work hard too to ensure a supply of the entire tissue in the body.
By the way: Your diastolic value of 64 mmHg is better than your systolic value and would classify as Ideal. But if you are getting two different types of classification for your blood pressure it is correct to choose the one that is considered worse.
What you should know about a blood pressure of 164/64
What is hypertension stage two? Blood pressure guidelines exist to define hypertension within stages. These stages, which were created by The American Heart Association and The American College of Cardiology, are like a roadmap to help guide and tailor decisions in the treatment process for hypertension. Understanding the specifics of your blood pressure stage is critical to successfully controlling readings over the long-term.
Stage two hypertension blood pressure is systolic blood pressure 140-180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 90-120.
Normal systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings are considered under 120/80 mmHg. The next stage is elevated blood pressure, which is 120-129 systolic mmHg and diastolic pressure remaining less than 80 mmHg. High blood pressure starts at hypertension stage one, which is a systolic reading of 130-139 mmHg or a diastolic reading of 80-89 mmHg. Hypertension stage two is progressive hypertension, and it’s the last stop before the hypertensive crisis stage of having blood pressures over 180/120 mmHg.
It’s important to remember that the above stages are all distinguished through consistent, reliable blood pressure measurements. In other words, your blood pressure should be taken at least twice on two separate occasions via a trustworthy measurement tool before a classification of hypertension stage two is made.
What Hypertension Stage Two Does To Your Body
Hypertension stage two wrecks havoc, and that damage isn’t just confined to the cardiovascular system.
Cardiovascular Damage
Systolic blood pressure is the amount of pressure the blood being pumped exerts against the artery walls with each heart beat. Diastolic pressure is the amount of pressure the blood being pumped exerts against artery walls between each heart beat.
The higher the blood pressure reading, the more pressure artery walls are having to endure. Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because, while this excessive pressure is damaging, stiffening, and leaving arteries more prone to plaque buildup and increasing the risk of disease, the hypertensive person typically experiences few symptoms until the damage is already done.
Decades worth of research offers a clear understanding of the risks elevated blood pressure causes to the human body. Just a 20 point systolic or 10 point diastolic blood pressure doubles the risk of death or disability from cardiovascular disease or cardiac complications like an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Brain Damage
Your vascular system is crucial to brain health. As hypertension stage two damages the cellular structure of the vascular system, the brain can be left without an adequate blood supply. This decreased nourishment leaves the brain vulnerable to disease and cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. It also increases the risk of stroke and TIAs.
Eye Damage
The eyes depend on an extensive network of tiny blood vessels to maintain good vision. Hypertension has a cumulative damaging impact on the eyes over time. Left untreated, hypertension stage two causes microvascular changes to the anatomy of the eyes. It’s called hypertensive retinopathy, and it can include anything from hemorrhages and edema to microaneurysms. The results can be partial to complete vision loss and/or distortion.
Kidney Damage
Hypertension is the leading cause of kidney disease and failure. The kidneys have a huge job in filtering waste and excess fluids from the body. When the arteries that deliver blood to the kidneys are narrowed by high blood pressure, the kidneys can’t effectively filter the waste and excess fluids from the body. In fact, the kidneys can even become confused in thinking this low blood flow is due to dehydration, which then causes the kidneys to release sodium and water-retaining hormones. The result is even higher blood pressures as the the blood vessels fill with additional fluids. Glomerulosclerosis, or kidney scarring, is another risk factor of hypertension. It causes dangerous levels of waste and fluids to accumulate.
What To Do If You Have Hypertension Stage Two?
The prognosis for your future health hinges upon adequate treatment. For hypertension stage two, the treatment plan will likely involve three components: monitoring, modification, and medications.
It’s critical to carefully and regularly monitor blood pressure at home following a hypertension stage two diagnosis. Accurate, consistent readings are needed to determine if treatment measures are effective and determine if blood pressure is either stabilizing or progressing toward the hypertensive crisis stage.
It will also be important for anyone diagnosed with stage two hypertension to have certain tests to look for and monitor any systemic damage to specific organs. Primary care physicians can use a simple blood test to check kidney function, and an EKG and X-rays can check the heart’s anatomy and function. Don’t forget to visit the ophthalmologist for a complete eye exam.
Hypertension stage two places individuals at a significantly increased risk of having and developing cardiovascular disease. While lifestyle changes are prevention measures for those with normal blood pressure and a focal point of treating stage one hypertension when cardiovascular disease is a low risk, lifestyle changes are typically only a part of a larger treatment plan in cases of hypertension stage two.
With the above in mind, certain lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure measurements over time. Eventually, these lifestyle changes can mitigate the need for drug therapy or prevent the need for more medications and higher dosing. Medical experts recommend the following lifestyle changes for hypertension stage two:
- 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week.
- Tobacco cessation.
- Avoidance of processed, sugary, fatty, fried, salty foods.
- Adopting a heart-healthy, well-balanced diet full of antioxidants.
- Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight based on age and height.
- Limiting stimulants like caffeine.
- Limiting alcohol consumption.
The above lifestyle changes will likely be combined with anti-hypertensive medications. Selection and dosing is based on individual health history; consistency of blood pressure measurements; and the presence of other diseases that influence vascular function, such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Potential options include:
- Thiazide diuretics
- ACE inhibitors
- Calcium channel blockers
- ARBs
- Alpha blockers
- Beta blockers
- Vasodilators
What Can Help Bring Down Blood Pressure Quickly?
Medications and lifestyle changes typically take time to gain results in lowering blood pressure readings. However, there are some strategic decisions people can make to help get their blood pressure down quicker and more efficiently, including:
- Use potassium rich foods, such as bananas, as a natural way to excrete sodium and lower blood pressure.
- Eat garlic. It increases the body's production of NO (nitric oxide.) NO helps the heart’s smooth muscles relax and dilates blood vessels to lessen the pressure of pumped blood.
- Manage stress. Try yoga or meditation. Studies show that something as simple as regular exposure to green space can reduce stress, blood pressure measurements, and the risk for cardiovascular disease.
- Pick foods low on the glycemic index. Managing blood glucose levels has been shown to correspond with lower blood pressure measurements.
- Enjoy the blood vessel-relaxing flavonoids in dark chocolate.
- Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil aid in blood pressure control.
- Natural vasodilators, such as cayenne pepper, turmeric, and ginger, have an immediate influence on the blood pressure.
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