What normal ranges does BloodPressureDB use?

The way blood pressure values are categorized has changed again and again over the years. Not only is the cut-off adjusted downwardi.e., the limit up to which blood pressure is considered normal or not concerning. In addition, different countries and different medical societies do not categorize it in the same way. To give our customers reliable and clear guidance, we developed a scientifically based table of globally harmonized blood pressure reference values. For this, we systematically reviewed the current, sometimes differing guidelines from leading international specialist societies and, based on this, created a consistent classification. We now use this table in our app so you can get a precise interpretation of your readings.

Category	Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Low	<105	<65
Optimal	105–119	65–79
Normal	120–129	80–84
High-normal / Elevated	130–139	85–89
Hypertension, grade 1	140–159	90–99
Hypertension, grade 2	160-179	100-109
Hypertension, grade 3	>=180	>=110

There are no normal ranges for low blood pressure. We dont want low values to be labeled Optimal. Please also note that, according to some guidelines, for home measurements a blood pressure of >=135 and/or >=85 mmHg is considered high blood pressure. For example, the European guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) recommend this cut-off as the threshold for diagnosing hypertension with home blood pressure readings. The German Hypertension League (DHL) follows this recommendation. In Canada, for instance in the guidelines of the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP), a cut-off of 135/85 mmHg is also commonly used for at-home measurements.

This harmonized table serves as a simplified, general framework for understanding blood pressure categories. However, its important to emphasize that individual medical specialty societies often use different classification systems, with variations in terminology and specific numerical thresholds. For example, in 2017, the guideline from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for North America redefined hypertension using a lower threshold of ≥130/80 mmHg and introduced the category Elevated blood pressure for values between 120–129/<80 mmHg. This change was based on a growing understanding of the increased cardiovascular risk associated with blood pressure values that were previously considered prehypertension. Similarly, in 2024, the guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) also introduced a category Elevated blood pressure, defined as 120–139/70–89 mmHg, while keeping the hypertension threshold at ≥140/90 mmHg. The 2019 guidelines from the Japanese Society of Hypertension (JSH) use terms such as High-normal blood pressure (120–129/<80 mmHg) and Elevated blood pressure (130–139/80–89 mmHg), aligning their blood pressure thresholds with those used in U.S. guidelines.  The 2018 Korean guidelines update (Korean Society of Hypertension, KSH) in 2022 provides its own classification system, while the 2024 Chinese guidelines (Chinese Hypertension League, CHL) continue to use 140/90 mmHg as the diagnostic threshold for hypertension. The harmonized table is a useful first reference, but a comprehensive understanding requires a detailed review of the specific guidelines issued by medical specialty societies in different regions. The different definitions of hypertension used by leading medical organizations highlight why clinicians need to be aware of regional differences and adjust their diagnostic and treatment approaches accordingly.