DEAR DOCTOR K: At my last checkup, my blood pressure was 130/85. I’d like to have a better understanding of what those numbers mean.
DEAR READER: Your heart is a pump, pushing blood throughout your body 60 to 80 times a minute. After each pump it relaxes, fills up with more blood and then pumps again. The heart pumps blood out through blood vessels called arteries, and collects blood returning from the body in blood vessels called veins.
DEAR DOCTOR K: My blood pressure has been creeping up lately, so my doctor suggested I reduce the amount of salt in my diet. Where should I start?
DEAR READER: That’s good advice — and it’s good advice for most people, especially for people with high blood pressure. Cutting back on salt (sodium chloride) lowers blood pressure and saves lives. Aim to limit your daily sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon) per day.
Dr. Anthony Komaroff is a practicing physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Editor in Chief of Harvard Health Publications. Learn more »
Harvard Health Publications is the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing the general public with authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible health information. Learn more »
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