Blood Pressure

Blood PressureWhat is blood pressure?When the heart beats, it pumps blood around the body to give it the energy and oxygen it needs. As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels. The strength of this pushing is the blood pressure.

The value is written as systolic over diastolic and it is measured in mmhg.

The systolic blood pressure or the top pressure indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.

The diastolic blood pressure or the bottom number indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.

Normal Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure falls between the ranges 90/60 120/80.

Blood pressure values over this normal range are called hypertension ( high blood pressure).

The constant high pressure on the walls put extra strain on the heart and blood vessels. Over time, this extra strain increases the risk of:

heart attack and heart failure

Strokes

kidney disease

peripheral arterial disease