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Blood pressure readings always have two numbers, one number on top of the other, for example 140/90.
The top number is your systolic blood pressure. (The highest pressure when your heart beats and pushes the blood round your body.)
The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. (The lowest pressure when your heart relaxes between beats.)
To see what your blood pressure readings mean - for an adult of any age - please use the blood pressure chart below:
Adult blood pressure chart
Using this blood pressure chart: To work out what your blood pressure readings mean, just find your top number (systolic) on the left side of the chart and read across, and find your bottom number (diastolic) on the bottom of the chart and read up. Where the two meet is your blood pressure.
What blood pressure readings mean
As you can see from the blood pressure chart, with blood pressure readings, only one of the numbers has to be higher or lower than it should be to count as either high blood pressure or low blood pressure:
- 90 over 60 (90/60) or less: You may have low blood pressure. More on low blood pressure.
- More than 90 over 60 (90/60) and less than 120 over 80 (120/80): Your blood pressure reading is ideal and healthy. Follow a healthy lifestyle to keep it at this level.
- More than 120 over 80 and less than 140 over 90 (120/80-140/90): You have a normal blood pressure reading but it is a little higher than it should be, and you should try to lower it. Make healthy changes to your lifestyle.
- 140 over 90 (140/90) or higher (over a number of weeks): You may have high blood pressure (hypertension). Change your lifestyle - see your doctor or nurse and take any medicines they may give you. More on high blood pressure
So:
- if your top number is 140 or more - then you may have high blood pressure, regardless of what your bottom number is.
- if your bottom number is 90 or more - then you may have high blood pressure, regardless what your top number is.
- if your top number is 90 or less - then you may have low blood pressure, regardless of what your bottom number is.
- if your bottom number is 60 or less - then you may have low blood pressure, regardless of what your top number is.
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