What is blood-pressure?

Blood-pressure is the force of blood exerted on the inside walls of blood vessels.

[bul] Blood-pressure is expressed as a ratio (eg 120/80). The first, top number is the systolic pressure or the lowest pressure when the heart rests.

[bul] Your blood-pressure normally varies during the day. It's generally lowest at night and increases in the morning to reach a peak in the afternoon. It increases during activity and decreases at rest.

What are the risks of high blood-pressure?

[bul] Normal blood-pressure is less than 120/80 points. Higher levels of blood-pressure (hypertension), a condition referred to as the "silent killer," can develop for years without any signs or symptoms.

[bul] Left untreated, the damage high blood-pressure causes to blood vessels and vital organs increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, heart failure, dementia and blindness.

What are the benefits of lowering high blood-pressure?

Luckily, high blood-pressure is manageable and lowering it can greatly reduce your risk of developing associated life-threatening conditions. For example, lowering blood-pressure by 14 systolic points for 5 years has been shown to provide:

[bul] 37% reduction in strokes

[bul] 55% reduction in congestive heart failure

[bul] 27% reduction in heart attacks