Illustration of a blood pressure monitor and arm cuff

What is a normal blood pressure by age? What your reading means

ByZain Rajabali

“Is that normal for my age?” is the question almost everyone asks after we take their blood pressure. It’s a fair question, because blood pressure does tend to rise as we get older. But the answer surprises people: for most adults, what counts as healthy doesn’t change with age. What changes is how likely you are to have high blood pressure.

Here’s what the numbers mean, what’s normal, and how to get a free check.

This is general information. If you’re worried about your blood pressure, get it checked rather than relying on a single reading.

The short answer

  • Normal blood pressure is usually between 90/60 and 130/85, according to the British Heart Foundation.
  • High blood pressure is usually 140/90 or higher when measured by a healthcare professional, or 135/85 or higher at home, the NHS says.
  • Low blood pressure is below 90/60.
  • Age doesn’t change what’s normal for most adults, but your risk of high blood pressure goes up as you get older. The main exception is people over 80, who have a slightly higher target.
  • If you’re 40 or over, you can get a free NHS blood pressure check at many pharmacies, including all four MediPill branches.

What do the two numbers mean?

Your reading is two numbers, for example 130/80. The NHS explains that:

  • the first number (systolic) is the highest pressure, when your heart pumps blood around your body
  • the second number (diastolic) is the lowest pressure, when your heart relaxes between beats

Normal blood pressure by age

For adults, the healthy ranges are the same whatever your age, until you reach 80:

Adults under 80

  • Normal: between 90/60 and 130/85 (British Heart Foundation)
  • Slightly raised (“pre-hypertension”): between 130/85 and 139/89 (British Heart Foundation)
  • High: 140/90 or higher at a clinic or pharmacy, or 135/85 or higher at home (NHS)
  • Low: below 90/60 (NHS)

Adults over 80

  • The British Heart Foundation says blood pressure should usually be below 150/90 when checked by a healthcare professional, or below 145/85 at home.

Children’s blood pressure is measured against different ranges. If you’re worried about a child, speak to your GP.

Why age matters, even though “normal” doesn’t change

The NHS says you’re more likely to get high blood pressure as you get older. Other things that raise your risk include:

  • having close relatives with high blood pressure
  • a Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background
  • a diet high in salt
  • being overweight
  • smoking or drinking too much alcohol
  • long-term stress

That’s why the NHS recommends getting your blood pressure checked if you’re aged 40 or over and haven’t had it checked for more than 5 years.

Why a check matters

High blood pressure doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, so many people have it without realising. The NHS says the only way to find out is to get it checked. Left untreated, it puts extra strain on your heart, blood vessels and organs, and increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart disease, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

The good news, in the NHS’s words: lowering your blood pressure even a small amount can help reduce your risk.

Get a free blood pressure check in Oxford

If you’re 40 or over and haven’t been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you can have a free NHS blood pressure check at any of our four branches:

  • it takes about 15 minutes, in a private consultation room
  • the pharmacist measures your blood pressure twice and gives you a printed reading
  • if your readings are high, we write to your GP the same day, and can refer you for 24-hour monitoring where it’s needed
  • you can walk in or book

A single high reading isn’t a diagnosis. Blood pressure goes up and down through the day, so your GP may ask you to check it at home or wear a monitor for 24 hours to confirm it.

If you’re under 40, we’re happy to check yours privately. Just ask on the day.

Checking your blood pressure at home

If you use a home monitor, the NHS suggests: take a reading, note it down, wait 1 minute and take another. Do this twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, for as many days as your doctor or nurse suggests. Remember the home threshold for high blood pressure is lower: 135/85.

How to lower your blood pressure

The NHS recommends:

  • a healthy, balanced diet, without too much salt
  • at least 150 minutes of exercise a week
  • losing weight if you’re overweight
  • not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week regularly
  • stopping smoking

Many people also need medicine to control their blood pressure. A doctor will recommend what’s right for you.

When to get help

The NHS says to get help from NHS 111 if you often have headaches or blurred vision, have chest pain that comes and goes, or have other symptoms you’re worried could be caused by high blood pressure.

Call 999 if you have sudden chest pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away, pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headed or short of breath. You could be having a heart attack.

If you keep feeling dizzy or fainting, which can be a sign of low blood pressure, the NHS says to see a GP.

Common questions

What is a normal blood pressure for a 60-year-old? The same as for any adult under 80: usually between 90/60 and 130/85. What changes with age is the risk of it being high, which is why regular checks matter more as you get older.

What is a good blood pressure for someone over 80? The British Heart Foundation says it should usually be below 150/90 when checked by a healthcare professional, or below 145/85 at home.

Is 140/90 high? Yes. The NHS says a reading of 140/90 or higher, checked by a healthcare professional, is usually considered high.

Is a blood pressure check free at a pharmacy? Many pharmacies offer free NHS checks for people aged 40 or over. At MediPill, it’s free at all four branches if you’re 40 or over and haven’t been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

Blood pressure checks at MediPill

Book or find out more on our blood pressure check page. Want the full picture of your heart health? We also offer a cholesterol test at Summertown and Botley. Questions first? Get in touch.

Sources

  1. High blood pressure – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  2. Blood pressure test – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/blood-pressure-test/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  3. Low blood pressure – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-pressure-hypotension/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  4. High blood pressure – British Heart Foundation. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure (accessed 23 September 2026)

Written by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist – GPhC #2219769
Medically reviewed by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Independent Prescriber – GPhC #2219769
Last reviewed: 23 September 2026 · Next review due: September 2027

This article is general health information and is not a substitute for a consultation. A single reading is not a diagnosis. High blood pressure is diagnosed, and treatment decided, by your GP.

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