Enter your systolic and diastolic readings to instantly see which AHA blood pressure category you fall into, with plain-English advice.
Top number — pressure when heart beats
Bottom number — pressure between beats
| Category | Systolic | Diastolic | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | < 120 | < 80 | Healthy range. Maintain with regular exercise and a balanced diet. |
| Elevated | 120–129 | < 80 | Not yet hypertension, but at risk. Lifestyle changes are recommended. |
| High — Stage 1 | 130–139 | 80–89 | Hypertension Stage 1. Discuss treatment options with your doctor. |
| High — Stage 2 | ≥ 140 | ≥ 90 | Hypertension Stage 2. Medication is typically needed alongside lifestyle changes. |
| Hypertensive Crisis | > 180 | > 120 | Seek emergency medical care immediately. |
Source: American Heart Association (AHA) blood pressure guidelines. Categories use the "or" rule for Stage 1 and Stage 2 — either the systolic or diastolic threshold qualifies.
Systolic pressure (the top number) measures the force your heart exerts on artery walls when it beats. Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) measures the pressure between beats, while your heart is at rest. A reading is written as systolic/diastolic, e.g. 120/80 mmHg.
According to the American Heart Association, a normal blood pressure is below 120 mmHg systolic AND below 80 mmHg diastolic. Elevated blood pressure is 120–129 systolic with a diastolic below 80. Anything at or above 130/80 is classified as high blood pressure (hypertension).
If your blood pressure is normal, checking once or twice a year is generally sufficient. If you have elevated or high readings, your doctor may recommend daily or twice-daily monitoring. Always measure at the same time each day (morning and/or evening), after 5 minutes of rest, and avoid caffeine or exercise in the 30 minutes before.
A hypertensive crisis (systolic > 180 or diastolic > 120) requires immediate medical attention. If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, or vision changes alongside a very high reading, call emergency services immediately. Do not drive yourself to a hospital.
HC Webhook sends your blood pressure readings from Health Connect or Apple Health to any endpoint automatically — great for logging trends in Home Assistant or your own dashboard.
