
The guidelines used to diagnose high blood pressure may differ from health care professional to health care professional: Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines. The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension). Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. What is high blood pressure (hypertension)? No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80,” or write, “120/80 mmHg.” What are normal blood pressure numbers?Ī normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg.

The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. What do blood pressure numbers mean?īlood pressure is measured using two numbers: Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries.
