Understanding High Blood Pressure

Written by Janie AndersonPharmacist, MPharm

Medically reviewed 8 October 2026

A blood-pressure reading has two numbers. Interpretation depends on how it was measured, repeat readings and your clinical circumstances. A treatment target is not the same thing as a diagnostic threshold.

Understand the context of the reading

The NHS guide gives 140/90 mmHg in a healthcare setting and 135/85 mmHg at home as the usual high-pressure thresholds. A clinician may arrange repeated or ambulatory readings. Older-age treatment targets should not be presented as a separate automatic definition of hypertension.

What should happen next?

Keep the readings and follow the instructions you receive. The NHS reading tool offers general guidance but does not diagnose symptoms. Contact a clinician about concerning readings or symptoms. Persistent chest pain, especially with breathlessness or sweating, needs 999.

Ask Rahul

Rahul Puri | Pharmacist

Blood pressure: understanding the result and follow-up

What should I ask after a blood-pressure check?

Ask whether the result needs repeating, who will review it and when to seek further advice. Bring your medicines and previous readings. Do not stop prescribed treatment because one reading improves.