Blood pressure report · US guideline

My Blood Pressure is 159/80 - good or bad?

159/80

mmHg

Stage 2 hypertension

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 systolic number is the one that sets the category here — the other one alone would rate as stage 1 hypertension.

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

Today159

Possible systolic159

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 pressure106 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 pressure79 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

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	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 159/80

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.