What is Considered a Normal Blood Pressure Reading?
In order to maintain a normal blood pressure reading, your top number must remain around 120, while your lower number stays around 80. The top number is called the systolic pressure, which reflects the pressure of the blood that is pumped through the body when the heart is beating. The lower number is known as the diastolic pressure, and is used to monitor the pressure of the blood while the heart is at rest. If the systolic pressure goes higher than 140 and the lower pressure raises above 90, you may be diagnosed with hypertension or high blood pressure. This condition can increase your risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and hardening of the arteries. This is why it is so important to monitor your blood pressure readings regularly and treat any deviations from the norm appropriately. Blood pressure readings can give your doctor plenty of important information about your overall health and risk factors for a variety of diseases and conditions. Take care to ensure that you ar