What is blood pressure?
In order to deliver oxygen and nutrients. To each and every cell of our body. Our heart pushes blood through tubes called blood vessels. As the blood moves, it exerts a force on the vessels’ walls. The measurement of this force of blood on the walls is called blood pressure. The ideal blood pressure reading is. About 120 over 80 millimetres of mercury or slightly below it. But why does the reading have 2 numbers? It is because our heart is constantly contracting and relaxing. During a phase called systole. Our heart contracts to push the blood through arteries. Thus increasing the pressure. So, the bigger number indicates the systolic blood pressure. Whereas during diastole, our heart relaxes, decreasing the pressure. So, the smaller number indicates the diastolic blood pressure.