Blood Pressure: Common Myths and What Guidelines Say
Blood Pressure: what people commonly get wrong, set against what published UK guidance says.
It causes no symptoms in almost everyone and is among the largest modifiable risk factors for stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.
Key takeaways
- Ideal: below 120/80mmHg
- UK clinic threshold: 140/90mmHg or higher
- Most useful single change: Have it checked at least every five years.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming feeling well means your blood pressure is normal.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What the guidance actually says
These are the numbers the corrections below are measured against.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Ideal | below 120/80mmHg |
| UK clinic threshold | 140/90mmHg or higher |
| Home or ambulatory threshold | 135/85mmHg or higher |
| Stage 2, clinic | 160/100mmHg or higher |
| Rest before measuring | 5 minutes, seated, back supported |
Where people go wrong
Each of these is popular. None of it matches the guidance.
- Assuming feeling well means your blood pressure is normal
- Judging anything on a single reading
- Stopping prescribed medication because readings have improved
What to do instead
- Have it checked at least every five years
- Take two or three home readings a minute apart and record the average
- Use a validated upper-arm monitor rather than a wrist device
- Reduce salt, alcohol and excess weight; all move the number
The part that is genuinely uncertain
Guidance changes, and it changes because evidence does. The figures above reflect current UK guidance from the bodies named at the foot of this page; where those bodies revise their position, theirs is the account to follow rather than this one.
Where to go next
- Blood Pressure: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Why Blood Pressure Matters, Explained Simply
- Blood Pressure — the reference entry
- Cholesterol: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- What the Guidance Really Says About Cardiovascular Risk
When to speak to a doctor
Seek same-day advice for a reading of 180/120 or higher. Call 999 if very high blood pressure comes with chest pain, severe headache, breathlessness, vision changes, weakness on one side, or difficulty speaking.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
