Normal Blood Pressure by Age
There isn’t a separate “normal” blood-pressure number for every age. For adults, the same general categories are used regardless of whether you’re 25, 45, or 75.
| Blood pressure | Adult category |
|---|---|
| Below 120/80 mmHg | Normal |
| 120–129 / below 80 | Elevated |
| 130–139 or 80–89 | High blood pressure, stage 1 |
| 140+ or 90+ | High blood pressure, stage 2 |
| 180+ and/or 120+ | Severe hypertension — needs prompt assessment |
A single high reading doesn’t necessarily mean you have hypertension. Blood pressure varies with stress, activity, caffeine, illness, and how the measurement is taken. Repeated properly measured readings are more useful.
What about older adults?
It’s a misconception that blood pressure is supposed to become very high simply because you’re older. Older adults still benefit from controlling elevated blood pressure, although treatment targets may be individualized based on overall health, medications, and other conditions.
For children
Children and teenagers are different: normal blood pressure depends on age, sex, and height, so adult numbers shouldn’t be applied to them.
If you give me your age and your recent blood-pressure reading (for example, 145/92), I can explain what that reading means.
