Blood Pressure Checker
135/85 blood pressure
135/85 is slightly raised on the UK clinic-style chart and stage 1 hypertension on the US chart. It is also the UK home-average threshold.
- UK chart
- Slightly raised
- US chart
- Stage 1 hypertension
What do the two numbers mean?
135 is systolic pressure, measured when the heart contracts. 85 is diastolic pressure, measured between beats. Both are in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
Why these labels?
Both numbers fall within the UK chart's slightly raised band and the US stage 1 band. The distinction is where and how the reading was measured: the UK home-average threshold is lower than the clinic threshold.
A single clinic reading of 135/85 is below NICE's clinic threshold of 140 systolic or 90 diastolic. The checker uses clinic-style bands rather than switching to home-average bands.
Clinic readings and home averages
An average of 135/85 meets NICE's home or daytime ambulatory threshold. NICE uses a clinic reading of at least 140/90 together with an ambulatory daytime or home average of at least 135/85 to confirm hypertension. One home reading is not that average.
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.