There is no such thing as an individual blood pressure norm, according to cardiologist Yuri Belenkov, an academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences and a professor. He addressed this and other common myths about heart and blood vessel health in an interview with aif.ru.
Belenkov said that for everyone, without exception, the normal blood pressure reading is 120 over 80. He noted some exceptions where slightly different figures may be acceptable: young and middle-aged women with naturally low blood pressure may have somewhat lower readings, while patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease can have readings up to 135 over 85 considered within an acceptable range.
Managing medication and side effects
Belenkov said that patients prescribed medication to control their blood pressure should not stop taking it on their own, even if side effects appear. At the same time, he said patients should not simply endure discomfort caused by the treatment. In such cases, he advised returning to a doctor so they can identify the cause and prescribe a new course of treatment.
The Russian Academy of Sciences is the country's leading state academic institution, and academician is its highest membership rank, typically reserved for scientists with major contributions to their field.
The same rule applies to statins
Belenkov said the same approach should be taken with statins, drugs commonly prescribed for high cholesterol. He stressed that patients should not stop treatment as soon as they start to feel better. Treatment exists to prevent things from getting worse, not to be used only once symptoms appear, he said.
Statins are a class of medication widely used to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by limiting the liver's production of cholesterol.
High blood pressure does not always cause symptoms
Pharmacist Raj R. Patel previously said that high blood pressure does not necessarily cause headaches or a general feeling of being unwell. According to Patel, the condition often shows no obvious symptoms at all, even as it gradually damages a person's health over time. Because of this, blood pressure is often described as a silent risk factor, since it can go unnoticed without regular monitoring.
