by 
The Curious Bag
-
When you go to your doctor's office for a physical exam, chances are he takes a reading of your blood pressure. Then he tells you that your blood pressure is 117 over 76, or some other seemingly-arbitrary number. If you are going to keep track of your blood pressure, it's time to learn what those numbers mean.
Measurements
The numbers your doctor gives you are actually a measurement in the form of a ratio. They are a measurement in millimeters of mercury.
Systolic
The systolic measurement is the top number, which is also always the highest. It is a measure of the pressure in your arteries when your heart muscle contracts; in other words, when your heart beats.
Dyastolic
The dyastolic measurement is the bottom and lower number. It measures the pressure in your arteries (the push of blood cells against artery walls) when your heart is at rest, or between beats.
Normal
The American Heart Association recommends that a person should maintain a blood pressure rating of less than 120 systolic and less than 80 dyastolic in order to be "normal," or healthy.
Danger Zone
Most people experience a rise in blood pressure with age, but a "high blood pressure" diagnosis begins with a systolic reading of 120 or higher and a dyastolic reading of 80 or higher. Anyone whose blood pressure reads higher than 180 systolic or 110 dyastolic should seek immediate medical attention to avoid a hypertensive crisis (which can lead to heart attack and stroke).
Source:
American Heart Association: Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC