Learn about high blood pressure (hypertension)

Your heart pumps blood through your arteries around your body. Each time your heart pumps, the blood pushes against the artery walls.

The strength of this ‘pushing’ is your blood pressure (pēhanga toto).

Your blood pressure changes throughout the day.  It’s lower when you’re asleep or relaxing and goes up when you move around. It can also be increased by stress or extreme emotions, and stimulants like nicotine or caffeine.

Some people’s blood pressure stays above the recommended levels. This is called high blood pressure, or hypertension.

For all things that you need to know about high blood pressure, click here.

Source: https://www.heartfoundation.or.nz/wellbeing/managing-risk/blood-pressure-and-your-heart/managing-high-blood-pressure