🩺 Blood pressure reading
A blood pressure reading measures how hard your blood is pushing against your artery walls. It’s written as two numbers, like 120/80 mmHg.
🔢 What the numbers mean
📈 Top number (Systolic)
Systolic blood pressure
- Pressure when your heart beats and pumps blood
📉 Bottom number (Diastolic)
Diastolic blood pressure
- Pressure when your heart rests between beats
📊 Normal vs high readings
| Category | Reading (mmHg) |
|---|---|
| ✅ Normal | Less than 120 / 80 |
| ⚠️ Elevated | 120–129 / less than 80 |
| 🚨 High (Stage 1) | 130–139 / 80–89 |
| 🚨 High (Stage 2) | 140+ / 90+ |
| 🆘 Crisis | 180+ / 120+ (urgent care needed) |
🧠 Why it matters
High blood pressure (Hypertension) can:
- Damage heart and blood vessels
- Increase risk of stroke and heart attack
- Affect kidneys and brain over time
📏 How to measure correctly
- Sit relaxed for 5 minutes
- Keep arm at heart level
- Avoid caffeine/smoking 30 min before
- Take 2 readings and average them
⚠️ When to worry
- Repeated readings above 130/80
- Sudden very high reading (180/120)
- Symptoms like headache, chest pain, dizziness
🟢 Bottom line
Blood pressure readings help track heart health. Consistent high values matter more than one reading, so regular monitoring is key.
If you want, tell me your reading (e.g., 135/85), and I’ll explain exactly what it means for you.
