You can have high blood pressure and feel perfectly well. High blood pressure usually does not give warning signs.

The following figures should only be used as a guide: Your doctor will advise you about what your ideal blood pressure is based on your circumstances, including your overall health. What is considered a healthy blood pressure varies from person to person. Your doctor may also recommend that you measure your blood pressure at home or have a 24-hour recording with a monitoring device. If a reading is high, your doctor may measure your blood pressure again on several separate occasions to confirm the level. Your blood pressure changes to meet your body’s needs. Both are measured in units called millimetres of mercury (mmHg). This is called the diastolic blood pressure. The lower number indicates the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat. This is called the systolic blood pressure. The larger number indicates the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood during each beat. (This cuff is part of a machine called a sphygmomanometer.)īlood pressure is recorded as two numbers, such as 120/80. Blood pressure is usually measured by wrapping an inflatable pressure cuff around your upper arm. It is best to measure blood pressure when you are relaxed and sitting. The medical name for persistently high blood pressure is hypertension and the medical name for low blood pressure is hypotension. If blood pressure remains high, it can lead to serious problems like heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease. It is affected by various factors, including body position, breathing, emotional state, exercise and sleep. Blood pressure does not stay the same all the time. Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the arteries as it is pumped around the body by the heart.

Blood pressure chart female