Representation of force as the heart pumps blood throughout the blood vessel circuit. Click here if the image does not appear to be animated.
Blood pressure is the measure of the force generated by the heart against the artery walls.
Combined, these numbers give your health care provider a picture of how hard your heart is working to get blood to the tissues in your body. High blood pressure , or hypertension , is blood pressure that consistently reads above 140 over 90 mm Hg. High blood pressure causes undue stress to the circulation of key organs, particularly the brain, heart and kidneys. This leads to increased risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Hypertension can be especially hard to manage when combined with other disorders, such as diabetes or obesity.