Blood Pressure Basics

Systolic vs Diastolic Blood Pressure

Editorially reviewed: September 2026 · Educational content, not medical advice

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Systolic pressure is the upper number in a blood-pressure reading; diastolic pressure is the lower number. Both contribute to interpretation.

Why both matter

A healthcare professional considers the pattern of readings, your health history and other risk factors rather than reducing the assessment to a single number.

Source

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