Cardiovascular Emergencies Part I (1.5 Hours)
What Is High Blood Pressure?
A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high blood pressure. Both numbers are important. If one or both numbers are usually high, you have high blood pressure. If you are being treated for high blood pressure and have repeated readings in the normal range, you still have high blood pressure. There are two levels of high blood pressure: stage 1 and stage 2 (see the chart below).
Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults (in mmHg, millimeters of mercury)
Category |
Systolic (top number) |
Diastolic (bottom number) |
Normal |
Less than 120 |
Less than 80 |
Prehypertension |
120–139 |
80–89 |
High blood pressure |
|
|
Stage 1 |
140–159 |
90–99 |
Stage 2 |
160 or higher |
100 or higher |
Note: When systolic and diastolic blood pressures fall into different categories, the higher category should be used to classify blood pressure level. For example, 160/80 mmHg would be stage 2 high blood pressure. |
There is an exception to the above definition of high blood pressure. A blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg or higher is considered high blood pressure in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
