A Bit about Blood Pressure

It's relativity straight forward, but most often we can be unfamiliar with the terminology used when doctors talk about blood pressure. Two of those terms, Systolic and Diastolic, are the most important! They are elements used to calculate your blood pressure, but what do they mean?

According to the ASA (American Heart Association) Blood Pressure is just what it sounds. It is the amount of pressure that the circulating blood in your body, puts on the walls of your blood vessels.

With each beat of your heart, the amount of pressure that your blood exerts can vary. These amounts are defined as a minimum and maximum amount of pressure. 

• The term Systolic defines the maximum amount of pressure. It measures the pressure that the flow of blood excretes against the artery with each heart beat when the blood is being pumped.
• The term Diastolic defines the minimum about of pressure. It measures the pressure that the flow of blood exerts in the artery while the heart is at rest. (This means the moment right after the heart has pumped the blood, until it moves and pumps the blood again. Aka: The heart beat.) 

So, now you have a better idea of what your doctor means when they mention Systolic and Diastolic pressure.

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