The heart has two basic phases in circulation,, the phase where it is pushing out blood, and the phase where it is filling up with blood. The upper and higher number (systolic) is how much pressure is on the blood vessel walls when the heart is pushing blood through,,, and the lower number (diastolic) is how much pressure is on the blood vessel walls when the heart is resting . The systolic pressure is normally in the range of between 90 mm and 140 mm of mercury (it was mercury that was pushed up the ttube of the early sphygmomanometers. The diastolic pressure is normally between 60 mm and 80 mm. Measurements higher than that are considered high blood pressure. The danger in high blood pressure is that the blood vessels may pop, causing internal bleeding,, such as a cerebral hemmorhage, or stroke, ,, and other damage to the blood vessels which in turn damage the tissues that those blood vessels serve. The blood pressure that you mention, 119/94 is a concern because the diastolic pressure is high, even though the systolic pressure is normal. Here are a couple of links: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4473 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2112