Blood Pressure Reading Classifier

Blood Pressure Guide

Understanding Your Blood Pressure Numbers

Blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic (e.g. 120/80 mmHg). Systolic: the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out. Diastolic: the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. Both numbers matter. NHS categories: ideal: 90/60 to 120/80. Normal: up to 130/85. High normal: 130-139/85-89. High (Stage 1 hypertension): 140-159/90-99. High (Stage 2): 160-179/100-109. Severe (Stage 3): 180+/110+. Low (hypotension): below 90/60.

How to Measure Blood Pressure Correctly

For an accurate home reading: sit quietly for 5 minutes before measuring. Sit with back supported, feet flat on floor. Support the arm at heart height on a table. Use the upper arm (not wrist monitors — less accurate). Use the correct cuff size for your arm circumference. Do not talk during the measurement. Take 2-3 readings, 1-2 minutes apart, and record the average. Do not measure within 30 minutes of caffeine, exercise, smoking, or a full bladder — all raise blood pressure. Morning readings (

Hypertension — Risks and Causes

Persistently high blood pressure (hypertension) damages blood vessel walls over time, increasing the risk of: heart attack (2-3× increased risk at 140/90 vs 120/80), stroke (4× increased risk), kidney disease, vascular dementia, and heart failure. Hypertension has no symptoms in most people — the majority of people with high blood pressure do not know they have it. Risk factors: age (blood pressure rises with age), obesity, high salt intake, excess alcohol, lack of physical activity, smoking, st

Managing Blood Pressure

Lifestyle modifications that lower blood pressure: reducing salt intake to under 6g/day (current UK average ~8g) — can reduce systolic by 5-10 mmHg. Regular aerobic exercise (150 minutes moderate per week) — reduces systolic by 4-9 mmHg. Weight loss — each 1kg reduction lowers systolic by approximately 1 mmHg. Reducing alcohol to under 14 units/week. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet — rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and low-fat dairy. If lifestyle changes alone are