Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries every time your heart pumps. Each pump creates a wave that you feel as your pulse. But this is not the same as blood pressure. The pressure against your arteries is greater when the heart pumps than it is between pumps. Both are measured because both are important. The blood the heart pumps out is oxygenated and full of nutrients for your body.

How Is It Measured?

Blood Pressure is measured at it's highest and lowest points. The highest is when the heart pumps and is called the systolic blood pressure (pronounced sis-tall-ic). This is the top number or the largest number in a blood pressure reading. The lowest blood pressure is when your heart relaxes between pumps and the pressure drops. This is called diastolic blood pressure (pronounced die-as-tolic). This is the bottom number in your blood pressure reading.

A reading is normally stated as 120/80 or 120 over 80. 

Any elevation...