DOES BEER COUNT? –
Aug. 14, 2025 – Nearly half of all adults in the US have higher than normal blood pressure. The goal numbers for adults haven’t changed, according to the guidelines: Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg, elevated blood pressure is 120-129/80 mm Hg. If you are at 130/80 mmHg or higher, according to the new guidelines, your medical provider will want you to make some changes.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, which is abbreviated as mm Hg. The measurement has an upper number, or systolic reading, and a lower number, a diastolic reading: Systolic pressure measures the force of blood as it pumps out of the heart into the arteries, and diastolic is the pressure created as the heart rests between beats.
High blood pressure doesn’t have any symptoms typically. But when your blood pressure is high, the force of your blood pushes against the walls of your blood vessels, making your heart less efficient, so both the vessels and heart must work harder. Without treatment, high blood pressure will eventually damage your arteries, raising your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
