Blood pressure is a measurement of the force of blood flow inside your arteries. Your blood pressure is stated as two figures, eg 130/80mmHg. The first figure is known as the systolic pressure and relates to the pressure as the heart contracts and pushes blood through the arteries. The other figure is the diastolic pressure which is when the heart relaxes to refill with blood.
Having high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) does not always produce any symptoms, so you may not know that you have it. It is important to have your blood pressure checked at least once a year as part of your annual review for diabetes. This helps to ensure that it is in the target range and not increasing your risk of developing diabetes complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD).
If you have diabetes, your healthcare team will help you to aim towards a target level of 130/80mmHg or less.