Blood Pressure

To many of us, the numbers our doctor gives when taking our blood pressure mean little.

We just want to know whether our blood pressure is in a healthy bracket. But what is blood pressure and what do those measurements mean?

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What is blood pressure?

Put simply, blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Your heart is your body’s main pump and it pushes blood through your arteries by contracting and relaxing. When it contracts, it forces blood through your arteries and pushes the pressure of the blood to the highest point – the systolic pressure. When your heart relaxes between beats, your blood pressure is at its lowest – its diasystolic pressure.

The two pressures are written as two numbers, with the higher pressure first. So, if your blood pressure reads 120/80 mmHg (millimetres of mercury), this means your systolic – or upper – pressure is 120, and your diasystolic – or lower – pressure is 80. Ideally, your blood pressure show be below 140/85 but if you’ve had a heart attack, stroke, have diabetes or diagnosed with coronary heart disease, your blood pressure should be below 130/80. You should have your blood pressure measured so that you know what your normal reading is.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure – or hypertension – means that your blood pressure is constantly higher than the recommended level. High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms, so while you might feel well, over time your heart may become abnormally large and beat less effectively. High blood pressure also increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

There isn’t always an explanation for the cause of high blood pressure, but the following can play a part:

• Inactivity
• Being overweight
• Eating too much salt
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Not eating enough fruit and vegetables
• A family history of high blood pressure.

What can I do to reduce my blood pressure?

If your doctor says you have high blood pressure, he/she is likely to encourage you to make some lifestyle changes to help reduce it. They may include:

• Increasing your physical activity
• Keeping to a healthy weight
• Reducing the salt in your diet
• Cutting down on alcohol
• Eating a balanced, healthy diet.

If your blood pressure remains high, your doctor is likely to prescribe medication to control it and to protect your heart.

Even if you don't have high blood pressure, making the lifestyle changes suggested above may prevent you developing it in the future.

More information

You can learn more about blood pressure by downloading our Blood pressure booklet from our Publications section, available in five languages.

Other organisations:

Visit the Blood Pressure Association’s website.

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