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Explainer

Blood Pressure Reading Explainer

Type in the two numbers from any blood pressure reading, taken at a pharmacy, a clinic or at home, and see which reference category they fall in and what to do with that information. Nothing you enter leaves this page.

The pressure while the heart beats.

The pressure while the heart rests between beats.

Your reading, explained

Enter a reading above and choose Read this reading. You do not need a result to be worth a doctor's time: if you are worried, go anyway.

The full reference table

AHA convention. European guidelines differ slightly around the stage 1 range, which is one more reason the interpretation belongs to your doctor.

  • Normal rangeBelow 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic.

  • Elevated120 to 129 systolic and below 80 diastolic.

  • High, stage 1 (AHA convention)130 to 139 systolic, or 80 to 89 diastolic.

  • High, stage 2140 or higher systolic, or 90 or higher diastolic.

  • Very high readingAbove 180 systolic and/or above 120 diastolic.

Sources

  1. Understanding blood pressure readings American Heart Association, 2024Source of the category conventions used above.
  2. 2017 ACC/AHA high blood pressure clinical practice guideline American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association, 2017
  3. High blood pressure (hypertension) NHS, 2023European-convention framing and measurement advice.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-16

Keep going

Measure properly, or the number lies

Most surprising home readings are measurement problems, not health problems. Before you trust any number, including the one you just entered above, run through this list:

  • Sit and rest quietly for five minutes first.Rushing straight from activity adds points that are not really there.
  • No coffee, tea, smoking or exercise in the 30 minutes before.
  • Back supported, feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed.
  • Arm resting on a table at heart level, cuff on the bare arm.
  • No talking during the measurement, phone away.
  • Take two or three readings a minute apart and note them all.The pattern across readings and days is what your doctor reads, never one number.

Written against AHA and NHS measurement guidance. Last reviewed 2026-07-16.