Blood pressure measures the force of blood against the walls of an individual’s arteries. It requires two measurements: systolic and diastolic. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
The systolic (top) number measures the pressure force when the heart contracts and pushes out the blood.
The Diastolic (bottom) number measure when the heart relaxes between beats.
Hypertension is a medical condition where the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure.
Having high blood pressure or hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease. It is important to
have your blood pressure regularly checked by your physician or independently with an at-home or drugstore blood pressure monitor.
Read our Hypertension Handout for more information.