Hypertension

Blood pressure measures the force exerted by your blood on the walls of your arteries. With each heartbeat, your heart pumps blood into the arteries, causing blood pressure to reach its highest point, known as systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, blood pressure decreases, referred to as diastolic pressure.

These two components are used to gauge your blood pressure, typically with the systolic reading appearing before or above the diastolic reading. For instance, a reading of 120/80 indicates a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80.

High blood pressure often shows no symptoms, making regular blood pressure checks by a healthcare professional crucial for diagnosis. Using a gauge, stethoscope, electronic sensor, and blood pressure cuff, your healthcare provider will take multiple readings at various appointments before reaching a diagnosis.