Final answer:
Blood pressure is measured as a ratio of systolic to diastolic pressure. Normal systolic and diastolic pressures for adults are around 120 mm Hg and 80 mm Hg, respectively. High systolic pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Step-by-step explanation:
When measuring blood pressure, it is recorded as a ratio of two numbers, systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the higher value (e.g., 120 mm Hg) and reflects the arterial pressure during ventricular contraction, or systole. Diastolic pressure is the lower value (e.g., 80 mm Hg) and represents the arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation, or diastole.
Normal systolic and diastolic pressures for adults are typically around 120 mm Hg and 80 mm Hg, respectively. If systolic pressure is chronically high, it increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. On the other hand, if systolic pressure is too low, fainting can be a problem. Diastolic pressure can indicate fluid balance, with low values possibly indicating internal hemorrhaging and high values possibly indicating blood vessel dilation issues.