most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms. the only way to know whether your blood pressure is high is to have a health professional measure it with a blood pressure cuff. the result is expressed as two numbers. the top number which is called the systolic pressure represents the pressure when your heart is beating. the bottom number which is called the diastolic pressure shows the pressure when your heart is resting between beats. your blood pressure is considered normal if it stays below 120/80 (expressed as "120 over 80"). people with a systolic blood pressure of 120 to 139 or a diastolic blood pressure of 80 to 89 are considered prehypertensive and should adopt health-promoting lifestyle changes to prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels. if your systolic blood pressure is consistently 140 or higher or your diastolic pressure is 90 or higher you have high blood pressure and should talk with your doctor about the best ways to lower it.
how will i know whether i have high blood pressure?