What Your Blood Pressure Says About You Here's how to get the
most from your blood pressure readings. Medically reviewed by
Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Doctors have been measuring patients’
blood pressure, the force that blood exerts on the inside walls
of your vessels — since the first sphygmomanometers (yes, that's
what blood pressure cuffs are called) were invented at the
beginning of the 20th century. Doctors are still finding new
ways to glean information about your health from these numbers.
British researchers recently found differences in blood pressure
between the right and left arms might be a sign of vascular
disease. Likewise, a difference in blood pressure when you’re
lying down vs. standing up may indicate heart problems or blood
vessel disease. Doctors can tell that from a painless test that
takes only a few minutes. The Basics: What Does Blood Pressure
Mean The most important thing to know about your blood pressure
is whether or not it's high. A blood pressure reading consists
of two numbers, w