Cardivo guides

Blood pressure chart: what your numbers mean

Updated October 17, 2026 · Wellness education, not medical advice

Key takeaways

Normal blood pressure for adults is below 120/80 mm Hg (AHA).
Stage 1 high blood pressure starts at 130/80; stage 2 at 140/90.
A reading above 180/120 is severe — recheck and seek care right away; call 911 with symptoms.
One reading doesn't define you. Averages of calm, seated home readings tell the real story.

Blood pressure is written as two numbers in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The top number, systolic, is the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number, diastolic, is the pressure between beats. A reading of 118/76 means 118 systolic and 76 diastolic.

Blood pressure chart for adults

These categories come from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology. If your two numbers fall into different categories, the higher category applies.

Category	Systolic (top)		Diastolic (bottom)
Normal	Less than 120	and	Less than 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
Severe (seek care now)	Higher than 180	and/or	Higher than 120

If you get a reading above 180/120, wait a few minutes and measure again. If it stays that high, contact your doctor right away. If you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness or weakness, vision changes, or trouble speaking, call 911.

Why high blood pressure matters

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, which is why it's often called a "silent" condition. Over time it strains the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and brain. The CDC estimates that nearly half of US adults have high blood pressure, and many don't know it. Regular checks are the only way to find out.

How to take an accurate reading at home

The AHA recommends a validated, automatic upper-arm cuff for home monitoring. For the most reliable numbers:

Skip caffeine, exercise, and smoking for 30 minutes before measuring.
Empty your bladder, then sit quietly for 5 minutes with your back supported and feet flat on the floor.
Rest your arm on a table so the cuff is at heart level, on bare skin.
Don't talk. Take two or three readings a minute apart and record them all.
Measure at the same times each day — for example, morning and evening.

Tracking blood pressure in Cardivo

Cardivo keeps your cuff readings on one timeline with your heart rate, HRV, blood sugar, and mood, so you can spot patterns — like higher numbers after poor sleep or a stressful week. You can type readings in or sync them from Apple Health, then export a PDF for your doctor. Cardivo also shows a camera-based blood pressure estimate for wellness trends; it is not a cuff, so use your cuff numbers for any health decision.

This guide is general wellness education based on the public sources below. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Cardivo is not a medical device. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal blood pressure?

For adults, the American Heart Association defines normal blood pressure as a systolic number below 120 and a diastolic number below 80 mm Hg.

Is 130/80 high blood pressure?

Yes. Under AHA/ACC categories, a systolic reading of 130–139 or a diastolic reading of 80–89 is stage 1 hypertension. Talk with your doctor about what it means for you.

What blood pressure is dangerously high?

A reading higher than 180/120 is severe. Recheck after a few minutes; if it stays that high, contact your doctor right away, and call 911 if you have symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, or vision changes.

Can an iPhone measure blood pressure?

Not the way a cuff does. Phone-camera blood pressure numbers, including Cardivo's, are wellness estimates. For decisions about your health, use a validated upper-arm cuff and log those readings.

Sources

Cardivo is an ad-free iPhone app that reads heart rate and HRV from your fingertip on the camera in about 30 seconds — no Apple Watch needed — and keeps blood pressure, blood sugar, and mood in one journal you can share with your doctor as a PDF. Download on the App Store.