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These are measurements of the force with which blood passes through the arteries at two moments: when the heart pumps and when it relaxes. Whoever has an index of 12 by 8 has a systolic pressure (at the time of pumping) of 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg), and a diastolic pressure (when the heart is relaxed) of 80 mmHg. By convention, pressure measurement is calibrated in millimeters of mercury and obtained by a device with a complicated name, the sphygmomanometer (or tensiometer). “This is the most accurate assessment. There are digital methods, but mercury is the most faithful”, says cardiologist Regina Buarque Bisaglia. To get a better idea of what a pressure of 120 mmHg means, we asked the help of doctoral student in physics Bruno Taketani. According to him, this pressure is equivalent to what a 60-kilogram person does standing on the ground. There is not a single pressure considered “normal”, but ranges that vary according to factors such as age, weight and lifestyle of the person. 🙂