What does the mmhg mean in blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:

The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.

If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80,” or write, “120/80 mmHg.”

A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg.1

No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension).

The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines.

The guidelines used to diagnose high blood pressure may differ from health care professional to health care professional:

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:

The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.

If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80,” or write, “120/80 mmHg.”

A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg.1

No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension).

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is given as 2 figures: systolic pressure – the pressure when your heart pushes blood out. diastolic pressure – the pressure when your heart rests between beats.

Blood pressure refers to the force of the body’s blood pushing against the inner walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries. Each time the heart contracts, it pumps blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure doesn’t stay constant throughout the day. It is lowest when you’re sleeping, and rises when you get up and start moving about. It can also go up when you are excited, nervous or physically active.

Systolic pressure refers to the blood pressure in the arteries that results when your heart contracts or beats, pushing blood out. When your heart relaxes between beats, blood pressure in the arteries falls. This is the diastolic pressure. Diastolic blood pressure can increase with age as a result of stiffening arteries.

Blood pressure (BP) readings are expressed as a ratio of the systolic pressure (the first number or numerator), over the diastolic pressure (the second number or denominator). A blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg (millimetres of mercury) is expressed verbally as 120 over 80.

A healthy blood pressure reading should be lower than 120/80 mmHg. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic (see blood pressure chart below), and may vary from 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg in a healthy young woman. A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher indicates high blood pressure.

Notes:

1. When systolic and diastolic blood pressures fall into different categories, the higher category should be used to classify blood pressure level. For example, 160/80 mmHg would be stage 2 hypertension (high blood pressure).

2. *Isolated systolic hypertension is graded according to the same level of systolic BP.

You can measure your own blood pressure at home with a digital blood pressure device that can be purchased at most pharmacies. Read the instructions carefully. You may wish to calibrate your reading with your family doctor. The right time to take the measurement is when you are at rest.

Some tips that will help ensure the accuracy of your blood pressure reading include:

• Sitting in a comfortable position

• Placing your left arm, raised to the level of your heart, on a table or desk, and sit still

• Wrapping the cuff of the monitor smoothly and snugly around the upper part of your bare arm

Researchers from the Center for Health Research and Rural Advocacy at Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania have found that time of day and time of year can influence blood pressure readings by as much as 40 percent.

Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The readings are always given in pairs, with the upper (systolic) value first, followed by the lower (diastolic) value.

So someone who has a reading of 132/88 mmHg (often spoken “132 over 88”) has a