Your blood pressure result

Now you have your blood pressure test result

At your NHS Health Check, your blood pressure will have been tested. Blood pressure is the force that your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries. You can find out more in Your blood pressure test.

If your blood pressure is outside the healthy range, your GP or health professional may have discussed this with you.

The results

There are two measurements used to assess blood pressure.

Systolic pressure is the pressure exerted when your heart pumps, forcing blood to move through your arteries.
Diastolic pressure is the pressure exerted when your heart is at rest, between beats.

The result is usually spoken as, for example, '120 over 80'. This means a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg. This would be written: 120/80mmHg.

What your result means

Normal blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 140/90mmHg.

If your results fall outside this range, your GP or health professional may discuss this with you.

Low blood pressure doesn't necessarily indicate a health problem. It can give you some protection against developing high blood pressure in the future. Low blood pressure is typically only a problem when it's accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness or fainting, which may be signs of an underlying health condition.

High blood pressure is important because it increases the risk of serious vascular health problems such as heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

High blood pressure often causes no symptoms, so it's possible to have high blood pressure without knowing it.

Typically, before high blood pressure can be confirmed, you'll need to have your blood pressure tested a few more times, at subsequent appointments.

Around 30% of people in England have high blood pressure. Usually, there is no single identifiable cause.