Doctors call this a hypertensive crisis, and it requires immediate treatment. This is called prehypertension.Ī blood pressure reading of over 180/120 is dangerously high. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90, you may be at risk of developing hypertension at some stage in the future unless you take action to bring it under control.
If you measure it in the comfort of your own home, where you’re likely to be more relaxed, the limit is slightly lower at 135/85. The definition of high blood pressure, according to 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines, is anything above 140/90 mmHg. Normal blood pressure is regarded as being between 120-129 (systolic) and 80-84 (diastolic). High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, puts a strain on your heart and blood vessels and makes you more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. And what’s the definition of high blood pressure? The second is your diastolic pressure, the minimum level it reaches between beats. The first is your systolic blood pressure, the maximum pressure your blood attains as your heart beats and pushes it around your body. It consists of two numbers, such as 130/80, which we say as “130 over 80”. Back Understanding blood pressure reading and chartsīlood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury, mmHg.