What stage of hypertension does a blood pressure reading of 142/90 correspond to?

A blood pressure reading of 142/90 mmHg falls into the category of hypertension stage 1 according to current guidelines. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association classify blood pressure readings as follows: normal blood pressure is defined as less than 120/80 mmHg, elevated blood pressure ranges from 120-129 systolic and less than 80 diastolic, stage 1 hypertension is identified as a systolic pressure ranging from 130-139 or diastolic pressure of 80-89, while stage 2 hypertension is noted at levels 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic.

In this case, the systolic reading of 142 mmHg is above the threshold for stage 1 hypertension, and the diastolic reading of 90 mmHg is on the cusp of the classification between stage 1 and stage 2. However, since the systolic value is significant in determining hypertension stage, the overall reading confirms that it meets the criteria for hypertension stage 1. Thus, the correct classification reinforces the understanding of how blood pressure is evaluated and categorized clinically.