What does the BP numbers mean? The number on the top is the systolic blood pressure and the number on the bottom is the diastolic blood pressure. The systolic BP is the pressure in the arteries right when the blood is pumped out of the heart, therefore the pressure is bigger. The diastolic BP is the pressure in the arteries after the blood has been pumped out and before the next heart contraction. At this moment, the heart is relaxed and the pressure is much lower.
Systolic pressure and Diastolic pressure
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The two reading notes on a blood pressure reading is systolic and diastolic. Systolic reads the pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle beats or contracts. Diastolic reads the pressure in the arteries between beats or contractions.
This is considered a high reading as your systolic should be at least under 140 and ideally under 120 mmHg. Blood pressure readings do vary a lot and also the relationship between the higher and lower numbers can change. Therefore when you measure your BP again the readings may both be normal, or they could both be raised or it might be similar to now. Taking a number of measurements over time will give you a better picture as to whether this is a one-off or not. If it persists as it is, with only the systolic number raised, you still have hypertension (though to be terminologically precise you have Isolated Systolic Hypertension). It still needs to be controlled and you should follow the usual advice - that is to try lifestyle changes first.
That is a very good BP. Congratulations☺
They can all affect BP readings.
Blood pressure has both diastolic and systolic readings on a meter. The expected readings of a healthy individual are below 120 for systolic and under 80 for diastolic. Diastolic measures the resting moments between beats while the systolic measures the beat. On the meter, systolic is the upper number and diastolic is the lower one.
The systolic and diastolic BP should never be truly equalized as the difference it the actual result from the function of the heart as it pumps. When the pressure equalizes the heart is no long able to function properly usually due to fluid build up.
Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
Crossing the legs at the knees can cause an increase in systolic BP as well as a smaller increase in diastolic BP. Crossing the legs at the ankles does not have a significant impact on altering BP.
Both high diastolic and high systolic blood pressure are dangerous and can contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. High systolic pressure is typically associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, while high diastolic pressure can also lead to organ damage, such as in the kidneys. It is important to monitor and manage both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels to reduce the risk of complications.