Heart
Heart Sounds Introduction
Pediatrics: When To Refer
Heart Murmur
Normal Heart Sounds
First Heart Sounds
Second Heart Sounds
Extra Heart Sounds (S3 & S4)
Systolic Murmurs
Diastolic Murmurs
Complex Conditions
Congenital Abnormalities
Cardiac Conditions Assoc. with Sudden Death
Heart Sounds in Primary Care
Auscultation Repetition Training
Heart Sounds Guide
Lungs
Lung Sounds Introduction
Basic Lung Sounds
Intermediate Lung Sounds
Lung Sounds Guide
Intro To Lung Sounds
Blood Pressure
Taking Blood Pressure
Measuring Blood Pressure Procedure
Adult Case Studies Part I
Adult Case Studies Part II
High Blood Pressure in Children
Extras
Terms
Quizzes
Heart Sounds Guide
Lung Sounds Guide
Sonography Training (free)
Join
High Blood Pressure - Hypertension Guide
Return to
Taking Blood Pressure
main page
Adult Blood Pressure Categories
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends optimal blood pressures of less than 120/80 mm Hg (systolic pressure is 120 AND diastolic pressure is less than 80). The table to the right provides the AHA's blood pressure classifications.
Case studies on hypertension and hypotension with blood pressure simulation.
Blood Pressure Category
Systolic mm Hg
(upper #)
Diastolic mm Hg
(lower #)
Normal
less than 120
and
less than 80
Prehypertension
120-139
or
80-89
High Blood Pressure
(Hypertension) Stage 1
140-159
or
90-99
High Blood Pressure
(Hypertension) Stage 2
160 or higher
or
100 or higher
Hypertensive Crisis
(Emergency care needed)
Higher than 180
or
Higher than 110
Blood Pressure Measurement in Children
The NIH has published a pocket guide to blood pressure measurement in Children.
Pocket Guide to Blood Pressure Measurement in Children
The NIH states "since diastolic hypertension rarely occurs without systolic hypertension in children, systolic blood pressure tables in the pocket guide can be used for hypertension screening. Since diastolic HTN rarely occurs without systolic HTN in children, the SBP percentile tables on the next page can
be used for HTN screening. If a child’s SBP on screening is classified as prehypertension or HTN, then both SBP and DBP percentiles should be determined using the tables in the complete report..." These tables can be downloaded using the link above.
Practice drills for the assessment of hypertension in children.