what blood pressure numbers mean

Everyone would like to have healthy blood pressure. But what exactly does that mean? When your doctor takes your blood pressure, it’s expressed as a measurement with two numbers, with one number on top (systolic) and one on the bottom (diastolic), like a fraction. For example, 120/80.

The top number refers to the amount of pressure in your arteries during contraction of your heart muscle. This is called systolic pressure. The bottom number refers to your blood pressure when your heart muscle is between beats. This is called diastolic pressure. Both numbers are important in determining the state of your heart health.

Numbers greater than the ideal range indicate that your heart is working too hard to pump blood to the rest of your body.

For a normal reading, your blood pressure needs to show a top number (systolic pressure) that’s between 90 and 120 and a bottom number (diastolic pressure) that’s between 60 and 80. The American Heart Association (AHA) considers blood pressure to be within the normal range when both your systolic and diastolic numbers are in these ranges.

Blood pressure readings are expressed in millimeters of mercury. This unit is abbreviated as mm Hg. A normal reading would be any blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg and above 90/60 mm Hg.

If you’re in the normal range, no medical intervention is needed. However, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight to prevent hypertension from developing. Regular exercise and reduced salt intake can also help. You may need to be even more mindful of your lifestyle if hypertension runs in your family.