When your heart beats, it pumps blood around your body to give it the energy and oxygen it needs. As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels. The strength of this pushing is your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes.
You cannot feel your blood pressure that is there are no “tell-tale” symptoms to alert you that your blood pressure may be high. If you are a person living with diabetes or have been diagnosed with “pre-diabetes” (Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Impaired Fasting Glucose), it is essential that you have your blood pressure check regularly. Most pharmacies or your doctor will check your blood pressure for you.