Blood pressure report · US guideline

My Blood Pressure is 133/86 - good or bad?

133/86

mmHg

Stage 1 hypertension

Systolic (upper)133 stage 1

Diastolic (lower)86 stage 1

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 meets the US definition of stage 1 hypertension. On its own it is a reason to look closer, not to panic: what counts is your average over a week of home readings, and your overall heart risk decides whether medication is needed.

Next step: confirm it with a week of home readings (log below) and discuss the result with your doctor at your next visit — within 3–6 months.

Your path to target

Tick the changes you could realistically make. The estimate uses the average systolic reductions measured in clinical trials in people with high blood pressure. Combined changes help more, but not fully additively — so we show a range.

Eat the DASH way (vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, whole grains) −11 mmHg
Cut sodium by at least 1,000 mg a day −5 mmHg
Get 3,500–5,000 mg potassium from food −4 mmHg
90–150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week −5 mmHg
Isometric training (e.g. wall sits) 3× a week −5 mmHg
Lose about 5 kg (11 lb) if overweight −5 mmHg
Drink no more than 1–2 drinks a day −4 mmHg

Today133

Possible systolic133

Target for most adults: below 130/80. Your diastolic number (86) needs to come below 80 too.

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

Mean arterial pressure102 mmHg

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.

Pulse pressure47 mmHg

Usual — within the range of 30–60; the arteries cushion each heartbeat as expected.

Questions to ask your doctor

What is my 10-year cardiovascular risk?
Should I confirm this with home readings or a 24-hour monitor?
What target should I aim for, and by when?
Would you recommend medication now or after 3–6 months of lifestyle changes?

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 133/86

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.