Enter your systolic and diastolic numbers to see which category your reading falls into, based on American Heart Association guidelines.
Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: systolic pressure (the force in your arteries when your heart beats) over diastolic pressure (the force when your heart rests between beats). The American Heart Association groups readings into five categories, ranging from normal to hypertensive crisis.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg. Elevated is a systolic reading between 120–129 with a diastolic below 80. Stage 1 hypertension is 130–139 systolic or 80–89 diastolic. Stage 2 hypertension is 140 or higher systolic, or 90 or higher diastolic. A hypertensive crisis is above 180 systolic and/or above 120 diastolic, and requires immediate medical attention.
Your category is determined by whichever number falls into the higher-risk range — if your systolic reading suggests Stage 2 but your diastolic suggests normal, the reading is still classified as Stage 2. Both numbers need to be considered together rather than in isolation.
A reading above 180/120 mmHg is considered a hypertensive crisis. If you have symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, or vision changes, seek emergency medical care immediately. Even without symptoms, contact a healthcare provider promptly to confirm the reading and discuss next steps.
Not necessarily. Blood pressure naturally fluctuates with stress, activity, caffeine, and time of day. Healthcare providers typically diagnose hypertension based on multiple readings taken on different occasions, not a single measurement.
Sit quietly for 5 minutes beforehand, keep your feet flat on the floor and your arm supported at heart level, avoid caffeine or exercise in the prior 30 minutes, and take two or three readings a minute apart to average.