WHAT IS BLOOD PRESSURE? Our heart is a pump that keeps blood moving around our body. Blood travels through our arteries, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every tissue and organ in our body. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood running through our arteries to keep the blood flowing. Our blood pressure will vary throughout the day, depending on what we are doing.

Our blood pressure reading is written as 2 numbers, e.g. 120/80mmHg. The first number is the systolic pressure, the highest level our blood pressure reaches. This is when our heart contracts and blood is forced through the arteries. The second number is the diastolic pressure and is the lowest level our blood pressure reaches. This is when our heart relaxes between each beat. For most people, the target is to have a blood pressure below 140/90mmHg.

There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure – smoking; being overweight; not doing enough physical activity; eating too much salt; drinking too much alcohol; having high blood pressure in our family and our age.