Common medical conditions explained: high blood pressure

The condition

High blood pressure is also called ‘hypertension’. Blood pressure is recorded in two numbers – the high number is called systolic and this is the pressure when the heart has just pumped. The low number is called diastolic and this is the pressure when the heart is at rest. The pressure is measured in ‘millimetres of mercury’ or mmHg. Ideal blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. High blood pressure is considered to be anything above 140/90mmHg. The problem with high blood pressure is that although in the long term it can be deadly, there are often no symptoms at all, so people can have it for years without realising. The only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure is by getting it checked by your doctor or nurse, using a sphygmomanometer which is an inflatable arm band that is pumped up then slowly released.