Cuff size and placement
A cuff that is too small or poorly positioned can overestimate blood pressure. Match the cuff to arm circumference and place it on bare skin.
Blood Pressure Calculator: Check Your BP Category
Enter systolic and diastolic numbers to see whether the reading is normal, elevated, stage 1, stage 2, or urgent/high using AHA/ACC 2025 or NICE NG136 thresholds.
Enter Your Reading
Result
Normal
Elevated / high-normal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Urgent / severe
Awaiting input...
This educational tool explains guideline categories; it is not a diagnosis or medical advice. If you have symptoms such as chest pain, severe headache, confusion, weakness, shortness of breath, or vision changes, seek urgent medical care.
Guideline & Context
AHA/ACC output on this page classifies adult office readings.
For NICE, clinic readings from 140/90 to below 180/120 generally need ABPM or HBPM confirmation. Home and ambulatory thresholds are lower.
Average Readings
Optional: add several readings to calculate average SBP/DBP, count, range, and the category for the average.
| # | Reading | Remove |
|---|---|---|
| No readings added yet. | ||
Average result: add at least one reading.
Advertisement
Blood Pressure Category Tables
This calculator uses both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). If the two numbers land in different categories, the final result uses the more severe category.
| Category | Systolic | Rule | Diastolic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | <120 | and | <80 |
| Elevated | 120-129 | and | <80 |
| Stage 1 hypertension | 130-139 | or | 80-89 |
| Stage 2 hypertension | >=140 | or | >=90 |
| Urgent / very high flag | >=180 | or | >=120 |
| Use case | Below threshold | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Severe / urgent threshold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinic reading | <140 and <90 | 140/90 to 159/99, then confirm with ABPM or HBPM | >=160/100 and below 180/120 | >=180 systolic or >=120 diastolic |
| Home BP average (HBPM) | <135 and <85 | 135/85 to 149/94 average | >=150/95 average | Very high readings need urgent clinical advice, especially with symptoms |
| Ambulatory daytime average (ABPM) | <135 and <85 | 135/85 to 149/94 average | >=150/95 average | Very high readings need urgent clinical advice, especially with symptoms |
| Rule type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| AND | Both SBP and DBP must fit the row. | AHA/ACC elevated is 120-129 systolic and below 80 diastolic. |
| OR | Either number can place the reading in the category. | 142/76 is AHA/ACC stage 2 because SBP is at least 140. |
| Higher category wins | When numbers disagree, the more severe threshold controls. | 128/94 is driven by DBP, not SBP. |
Examples
- 118/76 mmHg: AHA/ACC normal; NICE clinic below 140/90.
- 126/78 mmHg: AHA/ACC elevated because systolic is 120-129 and diastolic is below 80; NICE clinic below 140/90.
- 132/86 mmHg: AHA/ACC stage 1; NICE clinic below 140/90, but a NICE HBPM/ABPM average of 132/86 is stage 1 because DBP is at least 85.
- 166/92 mmHg: AHA/ACC stage 2; NICE clinic stage 2 because systolic is at least 160.
- 182/88 mmHg: AHA/ACC urgent / very high flag; NICE severe clinic threshold.
Methodology and sources
Last source check: June 7, 2026.
Guideline basis: adult blood pressure category thresholds from AHA/ACC 2025 and NICE NG136. This page classifies readings; it does not diagnose hypertension.
Why Readings Can Differ
White coat and masked patterns
Some people read higher in clinic and lower at home; others read lower in clinic and higher at home. HBPM or ABPM averages can reveal the pattern.
Caffeine, exercise, and smoking
Recent stimulants or activity can raise a reading. Wait at least 30 minutes after caffeine, exercise, or smoking before measuring.
Wrist monitors
Wrist devices are sensitive to arm position. Keep the wrist at heart level, or use a validated upper-arm cuff when possible.
Timing and repeated readings
Blood pressure varies through the day. Repeating readings after rest and averaging home values gives a more stable signal than one isolated number.
Blood Pressure FAQ
What is normal blood pressure?
Under AHA/ACC adult office categories, normal blood pressure is below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic. NICE clinic readings below 140/90 are below the clinic hypertension threshold; home or ambulatory averages below 135/85 are below the NICE confirmation threshold.
What is high blood pressure?
AHA/ACC classifies stage 1 hypertension from 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic, and stage 2 from 140 systolic or 90 diastolic. NICE uses 140/90 clinic as the level that generally needs ABPM or HBPM confirmation.
Is 120/80 normal?
By AHA/ACC, 120/80 is not normal because the diastolic value reaches the stage 1 range. By NICE, a clinic reading of 120/80 is below the clinic hypertension threshold.
Is 130/80 high?
By AHA/ACC adult office categories, 130/80 is stage 1 hypertension. By NICE, a single clinic reading of 130/80 is below 140/90, but repeated home or ambulatory averages matter for diagnosis.
What is dangerously high blood pressure?
Readings around 180 systolic or 120 diastolic are urgent or severe thresholds. Symptoms such as chest pain, confusion, weakness, shortness of breath, severe headache, or vision changes need emergency care.
Can anxiety raise blood pressure?
Yes. Stress, pain, caffeine, exercise, smoking, and measurement technique can raise a reading. Resting quietly and repeating measurements helps separate a temporary spike from a pattern.
Which number matters more?
Both systolic and diastolic matter. Category rules usually use the higher-risk result: if either number crosses a higher threshold, the reading is placed in that higher category.
Does one high reading mean hypertension?
Usually no. Guidelines emphasize repeated, properly taken measurements and averages. NICE explicitly uses ABPM or HBPM averages to confirm many clinic readings between 140/90 and 180/120.
What is the difference between AHA/ACC and NICE?
AHA/ACC uses lower adult office category thresholds, including elevated and stage 1 at 130/80. NICE uses clinic readings for triage and confirms many cases with home or ambulatory averages, using lower out-of-clinic thresholds than clinic readings.
When should home readings be averaged?
Average home readings when checking a pattern over time or confirming a clinic result. NICE recommends two seated readings at least 1 minute apart, twice daily, for at least 4 days and ideally 7 days when using HBPM for confirmation.