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What is normal Blood Pressure

Updated on August 14, 2008

blood pressure charts

what is normal blood pressure?

What is Normal Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure for most adults is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Drug treatment is recommended if your blood pressure is at or above 140/90 mm Hg. For people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, drug treatment is recommended for a blood pressure level of 130/80 mm Hg or higher.

Lowering your blood pressure to less than 140/90 to 120/80 mm Hg or below may help prevent other serious health problems. If your doctor says you have a high blood pressure reading the first time, don't panic. Blood pressure can vary due to exercise or your body's response to the environment (e.g., temperature, stress). It is possible for blood pressure to be higher at the doctor's office due to anxiety and tension. This is commonly called "white coat syndrome."

For many people, exercise and making healthier food choices are helpful, but not enough to get them into the BP Success Zone (less than 140/90 to 120/80 mm Hg or below).There are many different blood pressure medications that can help.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. An example of this could be 'the blood pressure is 120 over 80', which is written as '120/80mmHg'.The first figure is the systolic blood pressure - the maximum pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts (beats) and pushes blood out into the body.The second figure is the diastolic blood pressure. This is the minimum pressure in the arteries between beats when the heart relaxes to fill with blood. Because the height of a mercury column is used in blood pressure gauges, standard blood pressure readings are always written as so many 'millimetres of mercury', which is abbreviated to 'mmHg'.The systolic pressure is always listed first, then the diastolic pressure. A typical normal blood pressure reading would be 120/80 mmHg.

What is normal blood pressure?

Blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or above

This is definitely high. All people with a blood pressure that stays at this level are usually offered medication to lower it .

Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or above but below 160/100 mmHg

This is sometimes called 'mild' high blood pressure. Ideally, it should be lower than this but for many people the risk from mild high blood pressure is small, and drug treatment is not indicated. However, certain groups of people with blood pressure in this range are advised medication to lower it. These are people with:

·a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or

·an existing cardiovascular disease or

·diabetes, or damage to the heart or kidney (organ damage) due to high blood pressure.

Blood pressure between 130/80 and 140/90 mmHg

For most people this level is fine.Treatment to lower your blood pressure if it is 130/80 mmHg or higher may be considered if you:

· Have developed a complication of diabetes, especially kidney problems.

· Have had a serious cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, TIA or stroke.

Have certain chronic (ongoing) kidney diseases

If one reading is found to be high, it is usual for your doctor or nurse to advise a time of observation. This means several blood pressure checks at intervals over time. The length of the observation period varies depending on the initial reading, and if you have other health risk factors.

However, if you have diabetes, or have recently had a heart attack or stroke, you may be advised to have blood pressure checks fairly often over the next week or so. Also, treatment with medication is usually considered at an earlier stage if the readings remain high.

Blood Pressure Chart

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