High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. In adults high blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater and a diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater. High blood pressure is rarely a reason alone why the Social Security Administration (SSA) would restrict the level of work a claimant could do, rather the Social Security Administration (SSA) focuses on the possibility of organ damage due to high blood pressure that could affect motor skills in the claimant. The age of the child sets the benchmark as to what is considered normal blood pressure.

Return to Homepage
Return to Previous Page