A short explanation of what high blood pressure is. The heart must therefore work harder to maintain this higher pressure.
Blood pressure is categorized as normal, high normal, mild, moderate, severe, and very severe.
If there is a disparity in these ranges, the higher category of either measurement should be used to determine severity. Mild systolic hypertension, in fact, may be a warning sign for more severe hypertension, even if diastolic pressure is normal. A child's blood pressure is normally much lower than an adult's. The National Heart Blood and Lung institute has now further categorized high blood pressure by risk groups denoted as A, B, and C to help determine treatment. Mild hypertension in group C, which covers major risk factors for heart disease, however, would probably require medication.