University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio



Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers, written as a ratio like this:Read as "117 over 76 millimeters of mercury"?SystolicThe top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts).?DiastolicThe bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).This chart reflects blood pressure categories defined by the American Heart Association.Blood PressureCategorySystolicmm Hg (upper #)?Diastolicmm Hg (lower #)Normal?less than?120andless than?80Prehypertension120?–?139or80?–?89High Blood Pressure(Hypertension)?Stage 1140?–?159or90?–?99High Blood Pressure(Hypertension)?Stage 2160?or higheror100?or higherHypertensive Crisis(Emergency care needed)Higher than?180orHigher than?110* Your doctor should evaluate unusually?low blood pressure?readings.Retrieved on 1/14/14 from website ................
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