First, let’s talk about what blood pressure means. As the Cleveland Clinic defines it, “blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure or force of blood inside your arteries.” Your blood pressure may go up or down throughout the day and can be affected by stress, diet and exercise, among other factors. 1 Blood pressure is an important indicator for your overall health because it signals how hard your heart is working to pump blood to the rest of your body. The higher your blood pressure, the more wear and tear being placed on your heart and blood vessels.
How high is too high?
High blood pressure, also called hypertension , affects approximately 1 in 3 Americans—but only half of those people have their condition under control. 2 So, how high is too high? Blood pressure is measured with two numbers: Systolic pressure (SYS), which measures the force of blood on your artery walls when your heart beats, and Diastolic pressure (DIA), which measures the force of blood on your artery walls when your heart is between beats. See the chart below, which details blood pressure categories as listed by Mayo Clinic , including the 'low blood pressure' and 'Hypertensive Crisis' categories.