High blood pressure, or hypertension, is generally defined as having consistent blood pressure readings at or above 130/80 mm Hg. Specifically:

• Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg.
• Elevated blood pressure is systolic between 120-129 mm Hg and diastolic less than 80 mm Hg.
• Stage 1 hypertension is systolic 130-139 mm Hg or diastolic 80-89 mm Hg.
• Stage 2 hypertension is systolic 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic 90 mm Hg or higher.
• A hypertensive crisis is when systolic is higher than 180 mm Hg and/or diastolic is higher than 120 mm Hg, requiring immediate medical attention

Some guidelines note slight variations depending on where the measurement is taken. For example, at home, high blood pressure may be considered at 135/85 mm Hg or higher, while readings taken in a healthcare setting use 140/90 mm Hg as the threshold

. In summary, high blood pressure is typically considered to be a consistent reading of 130/80 mm Hg or above, with more severe stages starting at 140/90 mm Hg or higher. Immediate care is needed if readings reach 180/120 mm Hg or above