-Anxious

Dear Anxious,

Blood pressure is expressed as a fraction of two numbers, the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure (the top number in the fraction) is a measurement of the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood from the heart to the lungs and body. The diastolic reading measures the pressure in the arteries in between heart contractions, as the blood flows from one chamber to another. In a healthy young adult the normal systolic pressure ranges from 90 to 139, and the normal diastolic pressure ranges from 60 to 89. High blood pressure can only be diagnosed following three high readings at different times of the day, or even on different days, as any one reading can be affected by temporary anxiety or excitement. The blood pressure machines found in supermarkets may not be calibrated as regularly as the machines in doctors' offices, and therefore they may not be as reliable. If you have used one of these machines, don't jump to any conclusions. Instead make sure that when you get your annual physical exam you mention to your health care provider that you are curious about your blood pressure reading, and that you want to be sure that it is normal.

Alice