High blood pressure

The force or pressure of blood pushing against blood vessel walls is measured as blood pressure. When you have hypertension (high blood pressure), your body's blood vessel walls are always under too much pressure. Because you might not be aware that anything is wrong, high blood pressure is sometimes referred to as the "silent killer". However, the harm is still being done to your body.

The two figures in your blood pressure reading are. Systolic blood pressure, which appears as the top number, gauges the force exerted on the blood vessel walls when your heart beats or contracts. Diastolic blood pressure, which appears as the bottom number, gauges the force exerted on your blood vessels between heartbeats as your heart slows down.