Blood Pressure Checker
120/80 blood pressure
120/80 falls in the UK checker's healthy band, but in US stage 1 hypertension because the diastolic number is 80.
- UK chart
- Healthy
- US chart
- Stage 1 hypertension
What do the two numbers mean?
120 is systolic pressure, measured when the heart contracts. 80 is diastolic pressure, measured between beats. Both are in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
Why these labels?
The US normal category requires both numbers to be strictly below 120 and 80. The elevated category requires a diastolic number below 80. At exactly 120/80, the diastolic number therefore determines the stage 1 label, even though the systolic number is only 120.
Both numbers are below the UK chart's slightly raised boundaries of 130 systolic or 85 diastolic. They are also below NICE's clinic threshold of 140 systolic or 90 diastolic.
Clinic readings and home averages
120/80 is below NICE's home-average threshold of 135 systolic or 85 diastolic.
These categories describe a number pair, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment target. A single reading is not the same as a pattern or an average.
Other common readings
Sources
- British Heart Foundation: blood pressure ranges
- NICE NG136: clinic and home measurement thresholds
- American Heart Association: US categories
- NHS: low blood pressure definition
Adult ranges. Informational only, not medical advice or a diagnosis.