Sit calmly in a chair with your back supported and legs uncrossed for five minutes before checking your blood pressure.Don’t consume beverages containing caffeine or alcohol in the 30 minutes before taking your reading.Be aware that some monitors can share data with an app on your phone for tracking your blood pressure trends.Get a monitor that inflates automatically and has a large readout that’s easy to see.Readings from devices that attach to your finger or wrist may not be as accurate. Buy a blood pressure monitor designed to go around your upper arm.This can be particularly helpful to people with what doctors call “white coat hypertension.” That’s elevated blood pressure due to the anxiety over being at the doctor’s office (where they traditionally wear white lab coats). You can take your blood pressure at home periodically to determine if it consistently falls within the acceptable blood pressure range by age and gender. Hypertensive Crisis – Consult your doctor immediately High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 In adulthood, the average blood pressures by age and gender are:īeyond the averages in the blood pressure chart by age and gender above, adult blood pressure falls into one of five categories: Category What’s considered “normal” blood pressure varies by age in children and teens. Untreated high blood pressure, in particular, can damage the blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and brain. Maintaining healthy blood pressure is important, as readings outside the normal range can be problematic.

The bottom number (diastolic pressure) is the force between beats. The top number (called the systolic pressure) is the force each time your heart beats. The descriptor at the end stands for “millimeters of mercury,” which blood pressure gauges used to contain. Blood pressure readings have two numbers, such as 122/79 mm Hg.

Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts against the walls of arteries as your heart beats.

Printable high blood pressure chart