Physicians use blood pressure to help evaluate how healthy a person is. A healthy blood pressure reading can vary over time and from person to person. A doctor will decide what a healthy blood pressure reading is for a patient.
High Blood Pressure
When the force of blood against the artery walls in a person increases enough to cause damage, the condition is referred to as high blood pressure. According to the National Institutes for Health, when blood pressure stays elevated over time, it is called high blood pressure.
General Rule
According to the NIH, for most patients a blood pressure level of 140/90 mm Hg or higher is considered high.
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association classifies normal blood pressure to be less than 120/80 mm Hg for adults age 20 or over.
Prehypertension
The AHA considers a person to have prehypertension if their systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 139 and their diastolic blood pressure is between 80 and 89.
People at Risk
People with prehypertension are considered not to have high blood pressure, according to the AHA, but are at high risk for developing it.
