What is a normal blood pressure?

Normal is below 120/80. The top number, systolic, is pressure while the heart beats; the bottom, diastolic, is pressure between beats. Elevated is 120 to 129 over less than 80, stage 1 hypertension starts at 130/80, and stage 2 at 140/90, per the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology standards set in 2017.

That 2017 revision matters: the old hypertension line was 140/90, so a reading that earned a shrug a decade ago now earns a conversation. High blood pressure rarely produces symptoms, which is exactly why it does damage quietly for years.

One practical note: a single high reading at the doctor's office means little. White-coat hypertension is real, and diagnosis is supposed to rest on repeated readings, ideally including some taken calmly at home.