Blood Pressure Chart and Calculator

Q: What is a normal blood pressure?

Below 120/80 mmHg counts as normal under ACC/AHA and as optimal under ESH. The 2024 ESC guideline sets its lowest category, “non-elevated”, at below 120/70 mmHg.

Q: Is 130/80 high blood pressure?

Under the American ACC/AHA chart, yes: 130/80 mmHg is the start of stage 1 hypertension. The European guidelines call it elevated (ESC 2024) or high-normal (ESH 2023) and speak of hypertension only from 140/90 mmHg.

Q: When is blood pressure dangerously high?

A reading above 180 systolic and/or above 120 diastolic is in the crisis range. Rest for a few minutes and measure again. If the reading stays this high, or if there are symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, vision changes, numbness, weakness, trouble speaking or a severe headache, call emergency services immediately.

Q: Which number matters more, systolic or diastolic?

Both are used. In all three charts the higher category of the two decides: 150/80 mmHg is hypertension even though the lower number looks fine.

Q: How is mean arterial pressure calculated?

With the usual estimate MAP = diastolic + (systolic − diastolic) ÷ 3. For 120/80 mmHg that is 80 + 40 ÷ 3 = 93.3 mmHg.

Q: Why does the same reading get different labels?

Because the guidelines draw their lines in different places. ACC/AHA starts hypertension at 130/80 mmHg, the European societies at 140/90 mmHg. Your doctor will use the guideline that applies where you live, together with your overall risk.

This blood pressure chart places your reading in the categories of three guidelines at once: ACC/AHA (USA), ESC 2024 and ESH 2023 (Europe). Example: 128/82 mmHg is stage 1 hypertension under ACC/AHA, “elevated” under ESC and “normal” under ESH – the same numbers, three labels. Add further readings and the calculator averages them first.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH): High Blood Pressure – Diagnosis (categories per ACC/AHA: normal, elevated, stage 1, stage 2, crisis above 180/120; as of 26 Jun 2025, accessed 5 Oct 2026). Updated: 5 October 2026.

Systolic (upper value)

mmHg

The first, higher number on the monitor.

Diastolic (lower value)

mmHg

The second, lower number.

Result

Result: 128/82 mmHg · ACC/AHA: stage 1 hypertension · ESC 2024: elevated · ESH 2023: normal
Your values: Measure Value
Reading 128/82 mmHg
ACC/AHA stage 1 hypertension
ESC 2024 elevated
ESH 2023 normal
Pulse pressure 46 mmHg
Mean arterial pressure (MAP) 97.3 mmHg
Working: Pulse pressure = 128 − 82 = 46 mmHg.
Mean arterial pressure ≈ 82 + (128 − 82) ÷ 3 = 97.3 mmHg.
Blood pressure chart: categories of the three guidelines: Guideline Category Systolic (mmHg) Link Diastolic (mmHg)
ACC/AHA normal < 120 and < 80
ACC/AHA elevated 120–129 and < 80
ACC/AHA → stage 1 hypertension 130–139 or 80–89
ACC/AHA stage 2 hypertension ≥ 140 or ≥ 90
ESC 2024 non-elevated < 120 and < 70
ESC 2024 → elevated 120–139 or 70–89
ESC 2024 hypertension ≥ 140 or ≥ 90
ESH 2023 optimal < 120 and < 80
ESH 2023 → normal 120–129 and 80–84
ESH 2023 high-normal 130–139 and/or 85–89
ESH 2023 grade 1 hypertension 140–159 and/or 90–99
ESH 2023 grade 2 hypertension 160–179 and/or 100–109
ESH 2023 grade 3 hypertension ≥ 180 and/or ≥ 110; This is a classification of numbers, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace a medical assessment. High blood pressure is diagnosed from repeated, correctly taken measurements – not from a single reading. Do not change any medication on the basis of this result.

Measure	Value
Reading	128/82 mmHg
ACC/AHA	stage 1 hypertension
ESC 2024	elevated
ESH 2023	normal
Pulse pressure	46 mmHg
Mean arterial pressure (MAP)	97.3 mmHg

Guideline	Category	Systolic (mmHg)	Link	Diastolic (mmHg)
ACC/AHA	normal	< 120	and	< 80
ACC/AHA	elevated	120–129	and	< 80
ACC/AHA	→ stage 1 hypertension	130–139	or	80–89
ACC/AHA	stage 2 hypertension	≥ 140	or	≥ 90
ESC 2024	non-elevated	< 120	and	< 70
ESC 2024	→ elevated	120–139	or	70–89
ESC 2024	hypertension	≥ 140	or	≥ 90
ESH 2023	optimal	< 120	and	< 80
ESH 2023	→ normal	120–129	and	80–84
ESH 2023	high-normal	130–139	and/or	85–89
ESH 2023	grade 1 hypertension	140–159	and/or	90–99
ESH 2023	grade 2 hypertension	160–179	and/or	100–109
ESH 2023	grade 3 hypertension	≥ 180	and/or	≥ 110

How it is calculated

A blood pressure reading has two numbers: the systolic pressure while the heart beats and the diastolic pressure while it rests between beats, both in mmHg. Which label a reading gets depends on the guideline. That is why this page shows three charts side by side instead of pretending there is only one answer.

The three charts

ACC/AHA (USA): normal below 120 and below 80; elevated 120–129 and below 80; stage 1 hypertension 130–139 or 80–89; stage 2 hypertension 140 or higher or 90 or higher. The categories date from the 2017 guideline and were kept in the 2025 update.
ESC 2024 (European Society of Cardiology): non-elevated below 120/70; elevated from 120/70 up to below 140/90; hypertension from 140/90.
ESH 2023 (European Society of Hypertension): optimal below 120 and below 80; normal 120–129 and 80–84; high-normal 130–139 and/or 85–89; grade 1 140–159 and/or 90–99; grade 2 160–179 and/or 100–109; grade 3 from 180 and/or 110.

Whenever the two numbers fall into different categories, the higher category counts. 118/84 is therefore stage 1 under ACC/AHA because of the diastolic value alone.

Worked example

Reading 128/82 mmHg. ACC/AHA: the diastolic value 82 lies in 80–89, so stage 1 hypertension. ESC 2024: 128 is between 120 and 139, so elevated. ESH 2023: 128 is in 120–129 and 82 in 80–84, so normal. Pulse pressure = 128 − 82 = 46 mmHg. Mean arterial pressure ≈ 82 + 46 ÷ 3 = 97.3 mmHg.

A second case: 150/80 mmHg is stage 2 under ACC/AHA, hypertension under ESC and grade 1 under ESH – flagged as isolated systolic, because only the upper value is raised.

Averaging several readings

Blood pressure changes from minute to minute. The guidelines therefore base a diagnosis on the average of several readings taken on more than one occasion. Enter them in the second field: 128/82, 126/80 and 131/84 average to 128.3/82, rounded to 128/82 mmHg – and that average is what gets classified.

Pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure

Pulse pressure is the difference between the two numbers. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average pressure over one heartbeat; because the heart spends about twice as long relaxing as contracting, it is estimated as diastolic + one third of the pulse pressure. Both are calculated values for orientation – the categories above use only systolic and diastolic pressure.

Measuring properly

Do not eat or drink anything in the 30 minutes before, and empty your bladder.
Sit for at least five minutes with your back supported, both feet flat on the floor and legs uncrossed; rest the arm on a table at chest height.
Put the cuff on bare skin, do not talk, and take at least two readings one or two minutes apart.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal blood pressure?

Below 120/80 mmHg counts as normal under ACC/AHA and as optimal under ESH. The 2024 ESC guideline sets its lowest category, “non-elevated”, at below 120/70 mmHg.

Is 130/80 high blood pressure?

Under the American ACC/AHA chart, yes: 130/80 mmHg is the start of stage 1 hypertension. The European guidelines call it elevated (ESC 2024) or high-normal (ESH 2023) and speak of hypertension only from 140/90 mmHg.

When is blood pressure dangerously high?

A reading above 180 systolic and/or above 120 diastolic is in the crisis range. Rest for a few minutes and measure again. If the reading stays this high, or if there are symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, vision changes, numbness, weakness, trouble speaking or a severe headache, call emergency services immediately.

Which number matters more, systolic or diastolic?