What Are Normal Blood Pressure Values?

Normal blood pressure can vary depending on a person’s age, sex, and overall health. It can also be influenced by factors such as stress, physical activity, diet, medications, and other temporary conditions.

Healthy blood pressure is important at every age. Regular monitoring can help identify changes over time, particularly for people who have risk factors for high or low blood pressure.

The force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels is known as blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Two numbers are recorded when blood pressure is measured:

Systolic blood pressure: The top number, representing the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood.

Diastolic blood pressure: The bottom number, representing the pressure in the arteries while the heart relaxes between beats.

Normal Blood Pressure Values

A commonly used reference for normal adult blood pressure is around 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic, often written as 120/80 mmHg.

Blood pressure above the healthy range may indicate elevated blood pressure or hypertension, depending on the measurement and the clinical guidelines being used. A single high reading does not necessarily mean that a person has hypertension, because blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day.

Blood Pressure, Age, and Sex

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