“When your blood pressure is measured, there are two values, maximum and minimum, expressed by two numbers separated by a slash,” she explains.
The first number in the measurement is also know as systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.The second number is diastolic blood pressure, which is the arterial pressure between beats, says Sameer K.
“The exact importance of pulse pressure is still being investigated, though some studies suggest that patients with a wide pulse pressure (greater than 60 mmHg) are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, or death,” says Dr.A maximum exceeding 140, or a minimum higher than 90, indicates the person has what's called hypertension, or high blood pressure.“When systolic pressure, or the top number, is between 121 and 139, and the diastolic pressure, or bottom number, is between 81 and 89, we call it prehypertension,” she explains.“Blood pressure actually fluctuates a lot over the day, and even a healthy person will at times have the maximum exceeding 160 and the minimum number above 110,” says Dr.“Having high blood pressure increases the risk of major cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart attack, death, and kidney failure,” says Dr.Physical activity is the most important lifestyle habit to cultivate to help lower blood pressure.Over time, low-grade chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and muscle tension.While research hasn’t shown alcohol to have a direct tie to blood pressure and heart health, it can contribute to weight gain, which is in turn related adverse heart health outcomes