Blood pressure is the number most often measured in medicine, and the one most often misunderstood. Understanding it takes two minutes and pays off for decades.
What the numbers mean
The higher number (systolic) is the pressure when your heart contracts; the lower number (diastolic) is the pressure when it rests between beats. Both matter. Readings vary through the day, which is why a single high reading at a clinic is rarely a diagnosis by itself.
Measuring at home, properly
Sit quietly for five minutes first. Feet flat, back supported, cuff at heart level, no coffee or exercise in the previous half hour. Take two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, for a week. That pattern tells your doctor far more than any single number.
When to act
Persistently high readings deserve a consultation, not panic. Lifestyle changes do move these numbers, and where medicines are needed they work best when started early and reviewed regularly.
This guide is general health information, not a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Your symptoms, examination, reports, medicines, and preferences change the decision.