WHAT IS BLOOD PRESSURE?
Blood pressure:
Measurement of the rate of pressure exerted by the blood upon the
walls of the blood vessels. The heart contracts and then
relaxes, producing the two levels of blood pressure.
Systolic:
The highest point of blood pressure; level of blood pressure
produced as your heart beats.
Diastolic:
The lowest point of blood pressure; level of blood pressure
produced as your heart rests between beats.
Millimeters of Mercury (mmHg):
Blood pressure measurements are measured in terms of the
height of mercury in a column. Measurements are written one
over the other. For example, a systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and
diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg is expressed as “120 over 80.”
