Aortic dissection (tears in the wall of the aorta).Blood pressure levels this high can lead to: At this stage your provider will likely prescribe a combination of blood pressure medicines.Ī hypertensive crisis is extremely serious and is when your blood pressure rises quickly and severely to 180/120 or higher. Stage 2 high blood pressureīlood pressure readings are consistently running 140/90 or higher. Keep in mind that people with diabetes are at higher risk of heart disease than people without diabetes. Along with lifestyle changes, your provider will likely prescribe blood pressure medicine, based on your risk of heart disease. Stage 1 high blood pressureīlood pressure readings are consistently ranging from 130-139 over 80-89. Stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol, and/or aiming to be active most days of the week are lifestyle strategies that you can adopt. Take further steps to eat more fruits and vegetables, for example, or cut back on sodium.

Elevatedīlood pressure readings are consistently 120-129 over 80 or less. Keep up the good work by continuing to eat healthfully, be active, and stay at a healthy weight. To get cutting-edge diabetes news, strategies for blood glucose management, nutrition tips, healthy recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter! What do the different blood pressure categories mean? NormalĪ blood pressure of less than 120/80 is considered to be normal, or safe.

Blood Pressure Categoryīlood pressure chart source: American Heart Association With these examples, blood pressure is written as 130/85 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and is said to be “130 over 85.” Blood pressure chart: What’s normal blood pressure and high blood pressure?īlood pressure readings fall into five categories, ranging from normal to extremely high (called “hypertensive crisis”), according to the American Heart Association. This is the “bottom” number and is a measure of the pressure in your arteries when your heart is relaxing between beats. This is the “top” number and is a measure of the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

Blood pressure chart to print