If your blood pressure is normal, maintaining or adopting a healthy lifestyle can prevent or delay the onset of high blood pressure or other health problems. If you're a healthy adult age 65 or older, your treatment goal is also less than 130/80 mm Hg. If you are an adult with a 10 percent or higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years, or if you have chronic kidney disease, diabetes or coronary artery disease, your treatment goal is less than 130/80 mm Hg. Talk to your doctor about taking more than one medication. Stage 2 high blood pressure (hypertension) Talk to your doctor about taking one or more medications. Blood pressure readings fall into four general categories, ranging from normal to stage 2 high blood pressure (hypertension). Stage 1 high blood pressure (hypertension) If you also have heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease or certain other conditions, you may need to treat your blood pressure more aggressively. †These recommendations address high blood pressure as a single health condition. Talk to your child's doctor if you're concerned your child has high blood pressure. *Ranges may be lower for children and teenagers. For example, if your blood pressure reading is 125/85 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), you have stage 1 hypertension. Diabetics are not the only people prone to high blood pressure. If your systolic and diastolic readings fall into two different categories, your correct blood pressure category is the higher category. Having excess weight can also lead to diabetes and heart issues.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight for your particular body frame in order to prevent health diseases and disorders, including high blood pressure. Here's a look at the four blood pressure categories and what they mean for you. It also aids in getting rid of excess weight and reduce stress, two main factors of high blood pressure. To get an accurate blood pressure measurement, your doctor should evaluate your readings based on the average of two or more blood pressure readings at three or more office visits. The level of your blood pressure determines what kind of treatment you may need. Blood pressure readings fall into four general categories, ranging from normal to stage 2 high blood pressure (hypertension).