Blood pressure report · US guideline
My Blood Pressure is 126/91 - good or bad?
Each scale rates one number on its own; the higher category counts. Blue = low (systolic under 90 or diastolic under 60) — a common label, not an AHA/ACC category.
What this reading tells you
This reading is in the stage 2 range. If your average stays here, your arteries are under clearly higher strain than they should be — this is the level where doctors usually start medication alongside lifestyle changes.
Your diastolic number is the one that sets the category here — the other one alone would rate as elevated.
Your path to target
Your systolic number (126) is already below 130 — the category comes from your diastolic number (91). The goal is a diastolic number below 80.
The same changes that lower the systolic number lower the diastolic one too. The trials report their effects mainly for the systolic number, so we don't put a figure on the diastolic drop here:
- Eat the DASH way (vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, whole grains)
- Cut sodium by at least 1,000 mg a day
- Get 3,500–5,000 mg potassium from food
- 90–150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week
- Isometric training (e.g. wall sits) 3× a week
- Lose about 5 kg (11 lb) if overweight
- Drink no more than 1–2 drinks a day
Give the changes a few months, then check again with a week of home readings (log below).
How the measures work: Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure That Work · the DASH plan. If you take medication, these changes add to its effect.
Know your numbers
The average pressure that keeps your organs supplied — diastolic plus one third of the gap. Raised — above the typical range of 70–100, in line with a high reading.
Usual — within the range of 30–60; the arteries cushion each heartbeat as expected.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Which medication do you recommend, and what side effects should I watch for?
- Should we start with a combination pill?
- Do I need tests of my kidneys, heart or eyes?
- How soon should we re-check after starting treatment?
Your 7-day home check
One reading can mislead. Measure twice each morning (before medication and coffee) and evening for a week, skip day 1, and average the rest. Print this log or copy it. How to measure: How to Check Your Blood Pressure at Home.
| Day | AM 1 | AM 2 | PM 1 | PM 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1* | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 |
AM = morning, PM = evening, two readings one minute apart. *Day 1 is practice — leave it out of the average.
Print this page · Home average of 130/80 or higher counts as hypertension.
Look up another reading
Readings close to 126/91
Sources: 2025 AHA/ACC high blood pressure guideline (Hypertension 2025;82:e212–e316) · American Heart Association: When to call 911 about high blood pressure
MyBodyResearch explains readings in general terms; it does not diagnose. High blood pressure is confirmed with repeated measurements, and treatment decisions belong with your doctor.