# What does this mean - Blood Pressure Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-blood-pressure-question/136312>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 11, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-blood-pressure-question/136312 "2002-11-11T19:48:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-blood-pressure-question/136312/1 "2002-11-11T19:48:53Z")

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We had a heath fair at work today and were giving free blood pressure readings. Mine was 122/70 (122 systolic and 70 diastolic) which I was told was good. But what I want to know is how good is this? Is blood pressure a good measure of anything?

Some other things about me that might be relative. I am 25 years old, 5’10, about 175-180 pounds, 14.7% body fat, and I exercise regularly.

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-blood-pressure-question/136312/2 "2002-11-11T20:42:59Z")

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According to [this site](http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1675.51098), blood pressure in the normal range means you are not at risk for a variety of health problems:

> [@](#):
>
> High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common of all cardiovascular diseases in the industrialized world. It is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack…  
> Blood pressure refers to the force of blood pushing against artery walls as it courses through the body. Like air in a tire, blood fills arteries to a certain capacity. Just as too much air pressure can damage a tire, so can too much blood pressure threaten healthy arteries…A blood pressure reading appears as two numbers. The first and higher of the two is a measure of systolic pressure, or the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and fills them with blood. The second number measures diastolic pressure, or the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. Normal blood pressure rises steadily from about 90/60 at birth to about 120/80 in a healthy adult. …Consistently high blood pressure forces the heart to work far beyond its capacity… Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to vision problems, such as swelling of the optic nerve or hemorrhaging in the retina, as well as to heart attack, stroke and other potentially fatal conditions, including kidney failure.

Low blood pressure can result in dizziness, cold extremities, etc., but I haven’t heard of it being as much a risk as high. It sounds like you are in good health overall.

-gigi, consistently high 90s over 60ish, IANAD