The most single-minded thing within our body is our heart. It has one job to do and does it extremely well-it beats- about 3.5 billion times in a lifetime! It rhythmically pulses-actually jolts blood through our body. This thrust is powerful enough to spurt to send blood close to 10 feet if the aorta is severed.
Every hour your heart dispenses about 70 gallons of blood-1680 gallons in a day- more pushed through you in a day than you’re likely to put in your car in a year!
If you’re standing, your heart is approximately 4 feet above, so there’s a lot of gravity to overcome on your blood’s return trip. Just think-your heart is about the size of a grapefruit and with this grapefruit-sized ‘pump’, you’ve got to squeeze it with enough force to push its fluid 4 feet up in the air. Do that every second or so for a lifetime and see if you don’t get tired.
How can we be Heart Smart?
Pulse Pressure is taking the difference between the systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) blood pressure.
Measuring your pulse pressure may help your doctor predict if you’re at risk for a heart event, including a heart attack or stroke. If your pulse pressure is greater than 60 it’s considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially for older adults.
Take your blood pressure, evaluate your pulse pressure, and I’ll be happy to consult with you regarding this. This is an excellent step towards becoming “Heart Smart”.
