High blood pressure

It is determined by the amount of blood pumped by your heart and the resistance in your blood vessels. Every time you visit your doctor, blood pressure will be measured on your upper arm using a special machine that gives a set of numbers like 120/80.

The first number, usually written on top, is the systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure when your heart pumps and the second number is the diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure between your heartbeats.