

Based on this new definition, nearly half of Americans now fall into this group.

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. According to new guidelines, anyone with a reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher has high blood pressure. In November, 2017, new United States guidelines lowered the threshold for diagnosing the condition.

High blood pressure is also called hypertension.įor decades, high blood pressure was defined as 140/90 mm Hg. High blood pressure is diagnosed when one or both of these numbers is too high. So blood pressure would be expressed, for example, as 120/80 mm Hg. It refers to the pressure in the blood vessels between heartbeats.īlood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
