Blood pressure is an important indicator of your heart and overall health. That’s why it’s important to understand what it is and how to measure and monitor it.
Blood pressure is the amount of pressure or the force of your blood on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels) as your heart pumps it around your body. Your blood pressure will go up and down naturally during the day depending on what you are doing, especially if you are exercising.
High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is persistently higher than normal. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and having another event, including a heart attack.
It’s possible to have high blood pressure without knowing it, as people often don’t have any symptoms. So it’s important to get your blood pressure checked often.
If you have high blood pressure, you can help manage it with healthy changes like following a heart-healthy eating pattern, being physically active every day and, if you smoke, quitting. Your doctor might also prescribe medicines to help manage it.
Some people who have had a heart event or diagnosis might have normal blood pressure. Your doctor will likely still prescribe blood-pressure lowering medicines as these have been shown to reduce the risk of another heart event.
Blood pressure is measured in two numbers: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Blood pressure readings are shown as these two numbers, for example 120/80mmHg, where systolic pressure is the top number and diastolic pressure is the bottom number.
The systolic pressure is the amount of pressure in your arteries when your heart contracts to push blood around your body . The diastolic pressure is the amount of pressure in your arteries when the heart relaxes between beats.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will tell you what your ideal blood pressure should be, based on your medical history. It’s important to know this number and how you can achieve it with medicines and healthy habits.
If you have trouble visiting a GP, nurse or pharmacist easily, you can get a home blood pressure monitor, which is a convenient and reliable way to regularly monitor your blood pressure at home. It is important that you only use validated monitors that have been properly tested for accuracy. Community health programs, mobile clinics and outreach services can play a role in bringing blood pressure checks to your home or a location near you.
Last updated18 April 2024