Medical disclaimer: Ranges below are general education, not a diagnosis. Your personal target may differ — always interpret your numbers with a clinician.
Systolic vs diastolic, explained simply
The top number, systolic, is the pressure in your arteries while your heart beats. The bottom number, diastolic, is the pressure while your heart rests between beats. Both matter, though systolic tends to get more attention because it usually rises first with age.
What the ranges generally mean
- Normal: roughly below 120/80 mmHg
- Elevated: systolic 120–129 with diastolic below 80
- High (Stage 1): roughly 130–139 or 80–89
- High (Stage 2): 140/90 and above
These are general reference points, not personal targets — age, other conditions and medications all shift what’s “normal” for a specific person.
Why a single reading isn’t the story
Blood pressure moves throughout the day and reacts to stress, caffeine and the “white coat” effect of a clinical setting. One high reading is a data point, not a diagnosis. What a doctor actually wants is a pattern across days or weeks, taken consistently.
Turning readings into a pattern you can read
Log each reading in MedKeep’s Vitals section — it’s automatically flagged Normal, Elevated or High against reference ranges, so you can see the trend building instead of reacting to any single number. For the full logging routine, see the blood pressure log guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal blood pressure reading?
Roughly below 120/80 mmHg is generally considered normal, though personal targets vary by age and health history — ask your doctor what range applies to you.
What does the bottom blood pressure number mean?
The diastolic number is the pressure in your arteries while your heart rests between beats. It’s measured alongside the systolic (top) number, which reflects pressure during a heartbeat.
Should I worry about one high blood pressure reading?
Usually not on its own — readings vary naturally through the day. What matters clinically is the pattern across multiple readings taken consistently, which is exactly what a logged history shows.
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