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Blood pressure chart by age: what the guideline says
Most searches ask for a blood pressure chart “by age”. The guideline that doctors use does not have one for adults: the categories below are the same whether you are 30 or 70. What does change with age is how common high readings are, not the number that counts as high.
The categories, as the source publishes them
| Category | Systolic (mmHg) | Diastolic (mmHg) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | less than 120 | less than 80 |
| Elevated | 120–129 | less than 80 |
| High blood pressure (stage 1) | 130–139 or 80–89 | |
| High blood pressure (stage 2) | 140 or higher, or 90 or higher | |
| Above 180/120 | higher than 180 and/or higher than 120 |
Source: American Heart Association / ACC, 2025 guideline (doi 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.05.007). The same table the app shows. Information, not a diagnosis. heart.org
Why there is no official adult chart by age
- Older charts showed "normal for your age" ranges that went up with the years. Current guidance dropped that: the risk tied to a given number does not get safer because you are older, so the thresholds are the same for all adults.
- Your doctor may still set a different personal target for you, based on your history and your other conditions. That target is theirs to set, not a table’s.
Children are a separate matter
For children, what counts as high depends on age, sex and height, and is read against percentiles, not a fixed table. That is a conversation with the pediatrician; this page is about adults.
How to read your own numbers
- One reading is not a verdict. A single high number after coffee, a rush or a bad night says little. What tells a story is a series: same time of day, same arm, over weeks.
- Write each reading down with the time and what was going on. That log is what your doctor can actually use.
Questions
Is 130/85 high?
By the table above it falls in stage 1. What that means for you is a question for your doctor: it depends on your history, your other conditions and whether it repeats. One reading is not a diagnosis.
Does blood pressure go up normally with age?
Systolic pressure does tend to rise with age in populations. That is why high readings are more common later in life, but the threshold for calling a reading high does not move.
Which number matters more, the top or the bottom?
Both. The table uses whichever puts you in the higher category: if either number crosses a line, that is the category shown.
Sistola is a record-keeping app. It is not a medical device, it does not measure blood pressure and it does not diagnose or treat any condition. Always consult your doctor.