Normal blood pressure by age
A common misconception is that older people are supposed to have much higher “normal” blood pressure. For adults, current guidelines do not give a different normal range for each age. The normal category is below 120/80 mmHg.
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professional.heart.org
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Age Normal blood pressure
18–39 Below 120/80
40–59 Below 120/80
60–69 Below 120/80
70–79 Below 120/80
80+ Below 120/80, although treatment goals may be individualized
Blood pressure categories for adults
Normal: less than 120/80
Elevated: 120–129 and less than 80
Stage 1 hypertension: 130–139 or 80–89
Stage 2 hypertension: 140 or higher or 90 or higher
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professional.heart.org
The 2025 AHA/ACC guideline recommends an overall treatment goal below 130/80 mmHg for adults being treated for hypertension, with individual considerations for some people.
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professional.heart.org
Important
Don’t diagnose high blood pressure from one reading. Take multiple readings correctly, ideally when rested, and look at the average over time.
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American Heart Association
If your reading is over 180/120, repeat it after a few minutes. If it remains that high, seek medical attention; if you also have chest pain, breathing difficulty, weakness, vision changes, or trouble speaking, seek emergency care immediately.
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American Heart Association
If you give me your age and blood-pressure reading (for example, 150/90), I can tell you what that specific number means.
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