Blood Pressure Checker

For most adults, a normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg. The ideal zone is roughly 90/60 to 120/80. Below 90/60 may indicate hypotension (low BP). Consistently at or above 140/90 mmHg is classed as high blood pressure (hypertension) by NICE and the British Heart Foundation — though some international guidelines flag 130/80 as the threshold. Either way, if your readings are consistently elevated, it's worth speaking to your GP.

At Stage 1, lifestyle changes often bring readings back down without needing medication. The evidence-backed steps are:

• Cut salt to under 6g a day — it's mostly hiding in bread, ready meals, and sauces, not the salt shaker.
• DASH-style eating — more fruit, vegetables, oily fish, and wholegrains; less red meat and saturated fat. Can reduce systolic BP by 8–14 mmHg on its own.
• 30 minutes of brisk activity most days — walking, cycling, swimming — all work.
• Alcohol within NHS limits — no more than 14 units a week, spread across several days.
• Stop smoking — every cigarette raises BP temporarily and causes long-term arterial damage.
• Track it at home — take readings twice daily for a week and bring the log to your GP appointment.

Most likely, yes. Stage 2 hypertension means your cardiovascular system is under sustained elevated pressure, and lifestyle changes alone rarely bring it back to a safe level at this stage. Your GP will typically prescribe an antihypertensive — often an ACE inhibitor, calcium channel blocker, or thiazide diuretic — alongside lifestyle changes. Don't delay booking that appointment. Uncontrolled Stage 2 hypertension significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney damage.

A hypertensive crisis is when BP hits 180/120 mmHg or higher. There are two types: urgency — no symptoms, but the reading is dangerously high — needs same-day medical assessment; and emergency — symptoms present (chest pain, blurred vision, sudden severe headache, confusion, or difficulty breathing) — call 999 immediately. Never just wait and see at this level, and don't take extra BP medication without medical advice.

Yes — it's one of the more common but less talked-about consequences of hypertension. High blood pressure gradually damages the walls of blood vessels, reducing blood flow throughout the body including to the penis. Men with hypertension are roughly twice as likely to experience erectile dysfunction compared to men with normal BP. Some antihypertensive medications — particularly beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics — can also contribute to ED as a side effect. If you're dealing with both, it's worth having that conversation with your GP; there are BP medications that are less likely to affect sexual function.

White coat hypertension is when blood pressure consistently reads higher at the GP surgery than at home — simply because the clinical environment causes anxiety. It affects around 15–20% of people. If your surgery readings are high but you feel fine, your GP may ask you to monitor at home for a week using a validated home monitor, or arrange ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (a cuff that records readings throughout the day). Home readings almost always give a more accurate picture.