What Blood Pressure Numbers Mean

For example if your blood pressure reading is 125 85 millimeters of mercury mm hg you have stage 1 hypertension.

What blood pressure numbers mean. Blood pressure usually ranges between 90 to 250 for the top or maximum number systolic and 60 to 140 for the bottom or minimum number diastolic. When your systolic pressure is between 120 and 129 mm hg and your diastolic pressure is less than 80. If your systolic and diastolic readings fall into two different categories your correct blood pressure category is the higher category. The first reflects systolic blood pressure the amount of pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts.

A healthy blood pressure is 120 80 or less but the lower you can get it the better. Numbers higher than 120 80 mm hg are a red flag that you need to take on heart healthy habits. In a blood pressure reading the systolic number always comes first and then the diastolic number. The standard unit of measurement for the blood pressure numbers is millimeters of mercury abbreviated as mmhg.

Here s a look at the four blood pressure categories and what they mean for you. Blood pressure is reported using two numbers and many people don t completely understand what these numbers mean. Blood pressure measurements are given as a top and bottom number.