What do blood pressure readings mean uk?

As a general guide: normal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher. low blood pressure is considered to be 90/60mmHg or lower.

The line between normal and raised blood pressure is not fixed and depends on your individual circumstances. However, most doctors agree that the ideal blood pressure for a physically healthy person is around 120/80mmHg.

A normal blood pressure reading is classed as less than 130/80mmHg.

The heart is a muscle that is designed to constantly pump blood around the body. It pumps blood that is low in oxygen towards the lungs, through the venous 'pipeline' (veins), where it receives a fresh supply of oxygen.

Once the blood is fully oxygenated, the heart pumps the oxygen-rich blood around the body so that the oxygen can be used by the body’s muscles and cells, through the arterial 'pipeline' (arteries).

Blood pressure is defined as the amount of pressure that is exerted on the artery walls as blood moves through them. It is measured in millimetres of mercury, or mmHg.

A more detailed explanation is provided below.

Two measurements are used to measure blood pressure:

Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

The figures are usually represented with the systolic pressure first, followed by the diastolic pressure. Therefore, if your GP says that your blood pressure is '120 over 80', or 120/80mmHg, they mean that you have a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg.

More about the diagnosis of high blood pressure

High blood pressure often causes no symptoms, or immediate problems.

The only way to find out whether you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Ask your GP when you are next due for yours to be checked.

Find out more about the symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a common condition, it is estimated that 18% of adult men and 13% of adult women have high blood pressure but are not getting treatment for it.

In 90-95% of cases, there is no single identifiable reason for a rise in blood pressure. But all available evidence shows that lifestyle plays a significant role in regulating your blood pressure.

Risk factors for high blood pressure include:

Also, for reasons not fully understood, people of Afro-Caribbean and South Asian origin (Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi) are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other ethnic groups.

More about the causes of high blood pressure and how high blood pressure is prevented

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases such as:

Diabetes and kidney disease are also linked to high blood pressure complications.

More about complications of high blood pressure

High blood pressure can be managed or controlled by making changes to your lifestyle, such as:

When you have your blood pressure measured, you will be given two numbers, a top number and a bottom number.

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). If the first number is 120 and the second number is 80, this would be written as 120/80mmHg, and you’d call it ‘120 over 80’.

This video explains more about systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Once you know your numbers, you can use the blood pressure chart to see what they mean and if your blood pressure is in the healthy range. The chart is suitable for adults of any age, as the cut-off point for diagnosing high blood pressure doesn’t change with age.

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Your arteries are the vessels (tubes) that carry blood from your heart to your brain and the rest of your body. You need a certain amount of pressure to get the blood moving around your body.

Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down throughout the day and night, and it’s normal for it to go up while you’re moving about. It’s when your overall blood pressure is always high, even when you are resting, that you need to do something about it.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:

Learn what normal blood pressure readings look like.

The medical term for high blood pressure is ‘hypertension’, and it means your blood pressure is always too high. This means your heart is working harder when pumping blood around your body.

High blood pressure is a serious condition.

Your arteries are normally stretchy, so they can cope with your blood pressure going up and down. But with high blood pressure, your arteries lose their stretchiness, becoming stiff or narrow.

This narrowing makes it easier for fatty material (atheroma) to build up. This narrowing and damage to the arteries lining your heart or brain could trigger a life-threatening heart attack or stroke.

If left untreated, high blood pressure can also lead to complications such as:

Learn more about how high blood pressure is treated.

In most cases, there isn't a specific reason for the cause of high blood pressure, but most people develop it because of their diet, lifestyle or medical condition.

You might be more at risk if you:

People living in deprived areas are also at higher risk of having high blood pressure, as well as people who are of black African or black Caribbean descent. Changes in your diet and increasing activity levels will help improve your blood pressure.

For some people, a cause of high blood pressure is found. This is known as ‘secondary hypertension’.

Examples of secondary hypertension include:

If you are worried that any medicine or remedy might affect your blood pressure, ask your doctor or pharmacist about it.

Visit the NHS website  for more information about the causes of secondary hypertension.

Most people don't know they have high blood pressure because there aren't obvious symptoms. That's why it's so important to get your blood pressure checked regularly.

Rarely, it can cause symptoms like blurred vision, headaches and nosebleeds.

As many as 5 million adults in the UK have undiagnosed high blood pressure and don’t know they are at risk. The only way to know whether you have high blood pressure is to have it measured.

You can get your blood pressure checked at:

If you’re a healthy adult aged 40 to 74, and live in England or Wales, you’ll be invited to a free NHS Health Check every 5 years, which will include a blood pressure check.

You can also check your blood pressure at home. In England, a scheme called Blood Pressure @home is in place to support people with this, which you can ask your GP about. There is also a similar scheme in Scotland called the Scale-Up BP initiative.

Your blood pressure is usually measured using a blood pressure monitor. This is usually an electronic monitor connected to an inflatable cuff, which is wrapped around your upper arm.

When you have your blood pressure measured, the reading is written as two numbers. The first is when the pressure is at its highest (or systolic pressure), and the second at its lowest (or diastolic pressure).

For example, your reading might be something like 140/90 mmHg, which you would say as “140 over 90” (mmHg is a unit for measuring blood pressure).

Your blood pressure will usually need to be checked more than once to confirm a diagnosis of high blood pressure.

This is because blood pressure can go up and down a lot during the day. When people have their blood pressure checked in the clinic it can be higher than expected, especially if they feel nervous or anxious.

If your blood pressure is high in the clinic, you might be advised to:

If you’ve been asked to monitor your blood pressure at home, your GP will ask you to check your blood pressure over several days. This can include taking a series of recordings (at least two), twice a day, in the morning and evening.

By looking at all your blood pressure readings over a few days, your GP can work out what your 'average’ blood pressure is.

In some cases, your GP might want to run other tests as well. For instance, they might want to do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels and kidney function, or check your heart rhythm with a test called an electrocardiogram (ECG).

There are two categories of normal blood pressure:

The NHS has a handy tool to show where your blood pressure is on a chart.

There are three different stages of high blood pressure:

Discuss your readings with your healthcare team and ask any questions you have. Together, you might want to set a target blood pressure that’s right for you and your health goals.

How your high blood pressure is managed depends on a range of things, such as your health goals and the stage of your condition. The healthcare team at your GP practice will help you create a plan to reduce your blood pressure.

By making lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and keep it at a healthy level. Recent evidence shows that tackling obesity and staying active are especially important. You'll feel the benefits right away with improved sleep, more energy, and a better mood. This useful tool developed by the NHS helps you make a plan that you can discuss with your GP.

If your blood pressure is high or very high, your GP will usually offer you medicines on top of lifestyle changes.

If you’re a healthy adult aged 40 to 74, it’s a good idea to get your blood pressure checked every five years (during an NHS Health Check if in England or Wales). If you’re near the threshold for high blood pressure, your healthcare team may ask to monitor you more often.

If your blood pressure is well controlled, you’ll normally be monitored yearly, along with reviewing any medication you take. When you start new medications or have dose changes to existing ones, your blood pressure will need to be checked more than once a year.

Check with your healthcare team how often to measure your blood pressure at home if you have your own monitor. Try keeping a diary of your readings – this will help your healthcare team spot patterns, and it might be motivating to see how your blood pressure improve over time.

The top number (called the systolic pressure) is the force each time your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic pressure) is the force between beats.

Maintaining healthy blood pressure is important, as readings outside the normal range can be problematic. Untreated high blood pressure, in particular, can damage the blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and brain.

What’s considered “normal” blood pressure varies by age in children and teens.

In adulthood, the average blood pressures by age and gender are:

Beyond the averages in the blood pressure chart by age and gender above, adult blood pressure falls into one of five categories:

You can take your blood pressure at home periodically to determine if it consistently falls within the acceptable blood pressure range by age and gender. This can be particularly helpful to people with what doctors call “white coat hypertension.” That’s elevated blood pressure due to the anxiety over being at the doctor’s office (where they traditionally wear white lab coats).

If you take home readings, be sure to: