Guide · reviewed by a Pinewood cardiologist
Know your blood pressure numbers
What the two numbers mean, how to measure at home and when to talk to a doctor. General information, not medical advice.
Two numbers, one reading
The top number is the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number is the pressure between beats. Both matter.
Why it is easy to miss
Raised blood pressure usually has no symptoms. Many adults in Lagos only find out at a work medical or a pharmacy check.
Measuring at home
Sit quietly for five minutes, feet flat, back supported, arm at heart level. Take two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, for a week, and write them down.
When to talk to a doctor
If your readings are often above the usual adult range, book a check. If a reading is very high and you feel unwell, seek medical help the same day.
Bring your readings
A week of home readings is one of the most useful things you can bring to a blood pressure clinic.
