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What you need to know about Blood Pressure
Blood pressure This is the measure of the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries, which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood out to the body and contributes to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, to stroke, kidney disease, and to the development of heart failure. What Is “Normal” Blood Pressure? A blood pressure reading has a top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic). The ranges are: Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
