Blood pressure report · US guideline

My Blood Pressure is 138/41 - good or bad?

138/41

mmHg

Stage 1 hypertension

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.

Your systolic number is the one that sets the category here — the other one alone would rate as normal.

Your path to target

Tick the changes you could realistically make. The estimate uses the average systolic reductions measured in clinical trials. 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

Today138

Possible systolic138

Target for most adults: below 130/80.

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 pressure73 mmHg

The average pressure that keeps your organs supplied — diastolic plus one third of the gap. Around 70–100 is typical; below 65 organs can be under-supplied.

Pulse pressure97 mmHg

Wide. A gap above 60 usually means the large arteries have lost some elasticity — common after 60 and a reason to keep the systolic number in check.

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	Morning 1	Morning 2	Evening 1	Evening 2
Day 1 (practice)
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7

Print this page · Home average of 130/80 or higher counts as hypertension.

Look up another reading

Readings close to 138/41

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.