Elevated blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure between 120 and 129 with a diastolic pressure of less than 80. High blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure of 130 or higher, or a diastolic pressure of 80 or higher.
If it's still very high, seek medical care. Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.
Normal pressure is 120/80 or lower. Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130/80. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/110 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away.
ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for over-80s is below 150/90mmHg (or 145/85mmHg at home)
Blood pressure higher than 180/120 mm Hg is considered a hypertensive emergency or crisis. Seek emergency medical help for anyone with these blood pressure numbers. Untreated, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems.
Still, you can make lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down. Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.
If your readings are higher or lower than the healthy limits, the diagnosis can be as follows: Elevated high blood pressure: Any value that ranges between 120/80 and 130/80mm Hg. Hypertensive emergency: 180/120mm Hg and above. If you record these values, you should go to the ER immediately as this is life-threatening.
A blood pressure of 150/84 is considered stage 1 hypertension.
Healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80. Prehypertension is a systolic pressure of 120 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89. Stage-1 high blood pressure ranges from a systolic pressure of 140 to 159 or a diastolic pressure of 90 to 99. Stage-2 high blood pressure is over 160/100.
120 to 129/less than 80 (Elevated): You probably don't need medication. 130/80 to 139/89 (stage 1 hypertension): You might need medication. 140/90 or higher (stage 2 hypertension): You probably need medication.
The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg for people younger than age 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those ages 65 and older. This means 70% to 79% of men ages 55 and older are now classified as having hypertension. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered healthy.
Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don't already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Sleeping on the left side is the best sleeping position for high blood pressure, as it relieves pressure on the blood vessels that return blood to the heart. These vessels are located on the right side of the body and can be compressed by slowing its circulation if you sleep on your right side.”
As a general guide: high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher (or an average of 135/85mmHg at home) – or 150/90mmHg or higher (or an average of 145/85mmHg at home) if you're over the age of 80.
Blood pressure of 70 year olds. Blood pressure at age 70 is recommended to be kept at 134/87 mmHg. According to some studies, the blood pressure of 70-year-old people usually ranges from 121/83 mmHg - 147/91 mmHg.
In other words, once blood pressure rises above normal, subtle but harmful brain changes can occur rather quickly—perhaps within a year or two. And those changes may be hard to reverse, even if blood pressure is nudged back into the normal range with treatment.
The Hypertension Danger Zone
If your systolic is over 180 or your diastolic is above over 120, you may be having a hypertensive crisis, which can lead to a stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage. Rest for a few minutes and take your blood pressure again. If it's still that high, call 911.
Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping.
Bananas. These are rich in potassium, a nutrient shown to help lower blood pressure, says Laffin. One medium banana provides about 375 milligrams of potassium, about 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for a man, and 16 percent for a woman.