What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure occurs when the force exerted by blood against the walls of your arteries remains consistently elevated. This prolonged pressure can result in damage to your arteries, potentially leading to severe complications such as heart attacks and strokes. Another term commonly used to refer to this condition is “hypertension.”
Often dubbed the “silent killer” by healthcare professionals, high blood pressure typically presents no noticeable symptoms. As a result, individuals may remain unaware of any underlying issues even as their bodies undergo damage over time.
Blood pressure (BP) is gauged by measuring the force of blood against the walls of blood vessels. A standard BP reading consists of two numbers:
The top number, known as systolic blood pressure, reflects the pressure on artery walls during the contraction or beating of the heart.
The bottom number, diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure on artery walls between heartbeats when the heart is at rest.