Blood pressure (mate pēhanga toto)
Key points about blood pressure (mate pēhanga toto)
- Blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body.
- If your blood pressure is high, your heart works harder with every heartbeat. Constant high blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. This increases your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health issues.
- If your blood pressure is low, it's not usually a problem, but for some people low blood pressure may cause dizziness or is a sign of an underlying problem.
- You should have your blood pressure checked regularly. How often depends on your age, risk factors and general health.
Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body. It's affected by the strength with which your heart is pumping and the resistance in your arteries. Therefore it can change depending on how healthy your heart is and whether your arteries have been narrowed due to cholesterol build up in the walls, or atherosclerosis.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (which is written as mmHg). Blood pressure readings are a combination of 2 measurements:
- Systolic – the highest pressure against your arteries as your heart pumps. The normal systolic pressure is usually between 110 and 130 mmHg.
- Diastolic – the pressure against your arteries as your heart relaxes and fills with blood. The normal diastolic pressure is usually between 70 and 80 mmHg.
Blood pressure readings are described as the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure so you may be told it's 130 over 78 for example. That would be written as 130/78.
Video: Blood pressure animation – heart disease risk factors
Image credit: Healthify He Puna Waiora
Blood pressure is measured by inflating a cuff around your arm. This is connected to a device that measures pressure. The test is easy and painless. The cuff can be inflated manually by pumping a bulb, or some devices for measuring blood pressure inflate at the touch of a button. Some blood pressure monitors have a cuff for your wrist or finger, but using one with an arm cuff generally gives a more accurate reading.
You are likely to have your blood pressure measured during appointments with your healthcare provider but you may find it helpful to monitor it regularly at home. For example if you know you have high blood pressure and have been advised to check it regularly, or if you have a health condition such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Some people find their blood pressure is higher than it usually is when it's taken at their medical practice, this is known as white-coat syndrome (for the white coats doctors used to wear). If this is the case for you, you may get more accurate measurements if you take them at home.
Read more about when and how to measure your blood pressure at home.
High blood pressure is often called a ‘silent killer’ because, for most people, there are no symptoms. This means many people are unaware they have high blood pressure.
As an adult it's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. The age at which you should start having heart and diabetes checks depends on your ethnicity and other risk factors.
| Risk factors | Age to start having heart (and diabetes) checks | |
|---|---|---|
|
If you have no known risk factors |
Men: 45 years Women: 55 years |
|
|
If you are Māori, Pasifika or South Asian1 |
Men: 30 years Women: 40 years |
|
|
If you have the following risk factors:
|
Men: 35 years Women: 45 years |
|
|
If you have diabetes (type 1 or 2) |
As part of your yearly diabetes review | |
|
If you have schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder or other severe mental illness |
25 years | |
|
||
If your blood pressure is high, read more about high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure is low, read more about low blood pressure.
Apps reviewed by Healthify
You may find it useful to look at some blood pressure apps.
Blood pressure test(external link) NHS, UK
Watch, learn and live – blood pressure(external link) American Heart Association
Blood pressure and your heart(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ
Resources
Blood pressure information sheet(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ English(external link), te reo Māori(external link), Tongan(external link), Chinese (traditional)(external link), Hindi(external link), Korean(external link)
Cut the salt [PDF, 255 KB] Auckland DHB, NZ English [PDF, 255 KB], Chinese [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Managing high blood pressure(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ English(external link), Hindi(external link), Chinese(external link), Korean(external link)
24 hour blood pressure monitoring(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ
Checking your blood pressure at home(external link) Heart Foundation, Australia
Apps
References
- What is a heart check?(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ
- Blood pressure information sheet(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ, 2019
- Using a home blood pressure monitor(external link) Heart Foundation, NZ
See our page Blood pressure (high) for healthcare providers
Need help now?
Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.
Reviewed by: Dr Art Nahill, Consultant General Physician and Clinical Educator
Last reviewed:
