What Level is Considered High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is often written as two numbers. The top (systolic) number represents the pressure when the heart is beating. The bottom (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.
Blood pressure is measured by the blood that presses against the walls of the arteries and blood vessels. When blood pressure is high, the heart must work harder to pump an adequate amount of blood to all parts of the body.