Heart Health High Blood Pressure Living With Print Normal Blood Pressure Reading Numbers By Craig O. Weber, MD Craig O. Weber, MD, is a board-certified occupational specialist who has practiced for over 36 years. Learn about our editorial process Craig O. Weber, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD on November 16, 2019 facebook linkedin Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywell's Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard N. Fogoros, MD Updated on December 02, 2019 Science Photo Library / Getty Images More in High Blood Pressure Living With Causes & Risk Factors Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Low Blood Pressure Normal blood pressure is defined as less than 120/80. The American Heart Association revised its guidelines about what an optimal blood pressure range is, and when blood pressure is considered too high, or too low. This new range represents a change from previous guidelines, which classified pressures up to and including 120/80 as normal. Systolic blood pressure is generally given more consideration for those 50 years and older because this number tends to rise steadily as people age due to decreased elasticity of arteries, a build-up of plaque in the arteries over years, and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in older age groups. Why Blood Pressure Is Important Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be dangerous and increase your risk of stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, and kidney disease. By lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients, important organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, are protected from damage. Treating hypertension can achieve dramatic reductions in all of these conditions, and is an important part of maintaining overall health. Readings Blood pressure readings are comprised of two numbers: Systolic pressure (the top number) measures pressure in the arteries during heartbeats; diastolic pressure (the bottom number) measures pressure in the arteries in the interval between heartbeats, or when it is at rest. Staging System The system used to stage high blood pressure is based simply on the numbers, both systolic and diastolic, found in your blood pressure reading: The systolic number, a measurement of your blood pressure while your heart pumps blood, appears on the top.The diastolic number, a measurement of your blood pressure while your heart rests between beats, appears on the bottom. Blood pressure has essentially two stages: Stage I and Stage II. Your blood pressure reading might also be explained as prehypertension or a hypertensive crisis. Abnormal Blood Pressure While 120/80 used to be considered normal, the American Heart Association guidelines define three levels of abnormal blood pressure values. Normal = <120 systolic and <80 diastolicElevated = 120-129 systolic and diastolic < 80Stage 1 hypertension = 130-139 systolic OR 80-89 diastolicStage 2 hypertension = 140 or higher systolic OR 90 or higher diastolic Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to start a diet to better manage your high blood pressure? Our nutrition guide can help. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Heart Association. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Updated November 30, 2017. American Heart Association. Health Threats From High Blood Pressure. Updated October 31, 2016.