Your Personal Best: Blood pressure

As we age, it’s important to know our blood pressure numbers as part of monitoring our health.

Dr. Milady Murphy said knowing the systolic, or top number, and the diastolic, or bottom number helps lower the risk of potential issues.

The systolic number is associated with the contraction phase of the heart while diastolic is associated with the relaxation phase. Those numbers overall relate to pressure on your arteries: The lower the number, the lower the pressure and therefore the lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Normal blood pressure for the average adult is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.

Knowing your blood pressure empowers you to keep your health in check and improve your quality of life.