Understanding your blood pressure

What does it mean if you have high blood pressure, the problems it can lead to, and understanding your blood pressure readings. 

• What is high blood pressure?
  Read about what it means if you have high blood pressure (hypertension), how to find our if you have it, and why you should take steps to lower it. 
  
  
• What is low blood pressure?
  As well as becoming too high, blood pressure can sometimes drop too low. It’s usually nothing to worry about but there are ways to manage it if you need to.
  
  
• What do the numbers mean? 
  Find out what the blood pressure numbers mean and use the chart to see if yours are in the healthy range.  
  
  
• Why is high blood pressure a problem?
  Over time, high blood pressure can lead to a number of health problems including stroke, heart disease and heart attacks.
   
• Other related health problems
  There are a number of health problems, also known as risk factors, which can all add up to cause more serious problems in the future.
  
  
• Blood pressure around the world
  The proportion of adults with high blood pressure varies all over the world and has changed dramatically over the last 40 years.

Click to print page