88/81 blood pressure is a ‘Normal’ blood pressure reading by EU standards, ‘Elevated’ in Japan, ‘High Normal’ in the UK and ‘Hypertension Stage 1’ in the US.
What 88 over 81 Blood Pressure Means:
A BP reading of 88 over 81 means your blood pressure is classed as somewhere between ‘normal’ to ‘Hypertension Stage 1’ depending on which country’s scale you look at; a systolic pressure (when the heart contracts on a beat) reading of 88 mmHg and a resting, diastolic pressure (when the heart is dilated or relaxing between beats) reading of 81 mmHg. Blood pressure numbers are presented in units of mmHg, which stands for millimetres of mercury (discover why here).
You may find your blood pressure readings written as blood pressure 88 over 81, or more simply BP 88/81
| Reads | Systolic | Diastolic |
|---|---|---|
| 88-over-81 | 88 | 81 |
Looking at your systolic and diastolic numbers independently, means they would each fall into the following categories:
- A systolic reading of 88 is generally considered to be at the ‘low’ level.
- A diastolic reading of 81 is generally considered to be at the ‘elevated normal’ level.
Both your systolic and diastolic readings play an important role when assessing your health. Typically, the reading that falls into a less favourable range dictates your overall blood pressure’s categorisation. In your case your overall blood pressure would be considered at the elevated normal level, towards the upper levels of the normal blood pressure range, as your systolic reading is healthier when comparing it to your diastolic reading.
You can see your blood pressure reading of 88 over 81 plotted on the chart above, noting that your overall classification for this BP reading falls into the elevated normal range.
Minor variations exist in the naming conventions and specific boundaries of each category between different nations. We show what these differences are in the tables presented later in this article so you know where you stand on the EU, US, UK, Japan and International Society of Hypertension (ISH) scales and plot you on the United States’ blood pressure chart too. It is important to consider at this point that a single blood pressure reading is not definitive as it can be affected by a variety of factors.
If you regularly take your blood pressure readings at home with a blood pressure monitor (sphygmomanometer or blood pressure gauge), you will have a more consistent average to work with than if you only go to the doctor for an occasional reading. This way, you can better understand if your blood pressure is ok or whether you need to make some changes to your lifestyle to aim for a lower blood pressure.The column chart of your blood pressure above, compares the status of your systolic reading (higher blood pressure number) of 88mmHg to your diastolic reading (lower blood pressure number) of 81mmHg. It is from these two blood pressure elements that you can work out your blood pulse pressure.
What Is Blood Pulse Pressure?
Blood pulse pressure is the difference in value between your systolic and diastolic readings. Your pulse pressure is therefore 7mmHg, calculated by subtracting your diastolic reading of 81mmHg from the systolic reading of 88mmHg.
A normal pulse pressure is typically considered to be around 40mmHg. Your pulse pressure will naturally vary with different BP readings but the variation will typically be in the 5 to 10 mmHg range. Once again it is best to take several readings to determine an average.
A pulse pressure which is less than 25% of your systolic pressure is considered concerningly low and over 100%, would be considered wide. Your pulse pressure of 7mmHg as a percentage of your systolic reading of 88mmHg comes in at 8%.
Narrow pulse pressure, sometimes known as low pulse pressure, means the heart is pumping too little blood through it with each beat and is typically seen associated with various heart valve diseases and heart failure. It can also be found to occur in cases of internal bleeding or significant blood loss from an injury.Wide pulse pressure on the other hand, also referred to as high pulse pressure, can occur during exercise and is often seen in endurance athletes and high muscle-mass individuals without much concern. However, for less active and aging individuals experiencing hardening of the arteries, a wide pulse pressure occurs for different reasons and it can be a warning sign of increased risk of stroke, heart rhythm problems and heart disease.
If you are concerned about your pulse pressure, ask your healthcare professional for advice.
Different Countries May Interpret 88/81 Differently
Your 88/81 reading is seen an elevated blood pressure in many countries, although the specific boundaries for each category and the naming of them can vary slightly between nations.
Revisions to these scales also occur, notably in 2017, leading U.S. health groups, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, set lower levels for what counts as the start of high blood pressure and removed the term prehypertension from their scale. Yet when the EU later reviewed their scale in 2018, they maintained a higher boundary for the start of hypertension. So, large segments of the US population defined as having high blood pressure would not be considered to be suffering from hypertension by the EU.
You can check several country specific and international associations’ hypertension tables further down this page.
Where Is My Blood Pressure On The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC-AHA) Hypertension Blood Pressure Chart?
The ACC/AHA hypertension scale was most recently revised in 2017 and the major change at that time was lowering the definition of the start of hypertension from ≥140/≥90 mmHg to ≥130/≥80 mmHg. It also removed the term “prehypertension” and re-classified it as “elevated” blood pressure (120-129/<80 mmHg).
Your blood pressure readings on the ACC/AHA scale are shown below:
You can see your blood pressure readings represented above, this time plotted on the ACC/AHA hypertension chart giving an overall status of hypertension stage 1.
The column chart above again shows your systolic (higher) number of 88 compared to the diastolic (lower) number of 81 and the status they each have when considered separately but this time on the ACC/AHA hypertension scale. Their reference scale gives you a systolic status of low and a diastolic status of hypertension stage 1.
Categorisations of Blood Pressure by Region/Country
Here we present the latest revised blood pressure tables and naming terms used by the EU, US, Japan, UK and International Society of Hypertension (ISH). Some differentiate office vs home readings, office not meaning your workplace but the office of the medical staff. The reason this differentiation is made is because medical environments can be stressful and raise the readings compared to what is achieved when relaxing at home and taking your own measurements.
European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) Classifications
| Category | Systolic (mmHg) | Diastolic (mmHg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal (Ideal) | <120 | and | <80 |
| Normal | 120–129 | and/or | 80–84 |
| High normal | 130–139 | and/or | 85–89 |
| Grade 1 hypertension | 140–159 | and/or | 90–99 |
| Grade 2 hypertension | 160–179 | and/or | 100–109 |
| Grade 3 hypertension | ≥180 | and/or | ≥110 |
| Isolated systolic hypertension | ≥140 | and | <90 |
| Isolated diastolic hypertension | <140 | and | ≥90 |
American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Classifications
| Category | Systolic (mmHg) | Diastolic (mmHg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | <120 | and | <80 |
| Elevated | 120-129 | and | <80 |
| Stage 1 | 130-139 | or | 80-89 |
| Stage 2 | ≥140 | or | ≥90 |
| Hypertensive crisis | >180 | and/or | >120 |
Japanese Society of Hypertension (JSH) Classifications
| Classification | Office blood pressure (mmHg) | Home blood pressure (mmHg) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBP | DBP | SBP | DBP | |
| Normal blood pressure | <120 | and <80 | <115 | and <75 |
| High normal blood pressure | 120–129 | and <80 | 115–124 | and <75 |
| Elevated blood pressure | 130–139 | and/or 80–89 | 125–134 | and/or 75–84 |
| Grade I hypertension | 140–159 | and/or 90–99 | 135–144 | and/or 85–89 |
| Grade II hypertension | 160–179 | and/or 100–109 | 145–159 | and/or 90–99 |
| Grade III hypertension | ≥180 | and/or ≥110 | ≥160 | and/or ≥100 |
| (Isolated) systolic hypertension | ≥140 | and <90 | ≥135 | and <85 |
UK National Health Service (NHS)/British Heart Foundation(BHF) Classifications
| Classification | Office blood pressure (mmHg) | Home blood pressure (mmHg) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBP | DBP | SBP | DBP | |
| Low blood pressure | <90 | <60 | <90 | <60 |
| Normal blood pressure (Under 80s) | 90–120 | 60–80 | 90–120 | 60–80 |
| Normal blood pressure (Over 80s) | <150 | <90 | <145 | <85 |
| High-normal blood pressure (pre-hypertension) | 120–140 | 80–90 | 120–140 | 80–90 |
| Stage one | 140–160 | 90–100 | 135–150 | 85–95 |
| Stage two | 160–180 | 100–120 | >150 | >95 |
| Stage three (Severe hypertension) | >180 | >120 | N/A | N/A |
International Society of Hypertension (ISH) Classification
| Category | Systolic (mm Hg) | Diastolic (mm Hg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal BP | <130 | and | <85 |
| High-normal BP | 130–139 | and/or | 85–89 |
| Grade 1 hypertension | 140–159 | and/or | 90–99 |
| Grade 2 hypertension | ≥160 | and/or | ≥100 |
What Is A Normal Blood Pressure Range?
Ideally your blood pressure should be between 90/60mmHG and 120/80mmHg to be considered within the normal blood pressure range, also known as the normotension range. The main concern however, often referred to as the “silent killer,” is high blood pressure, known as hypertension, which rarely has obvious symptoms. The World Health Organisation estimates 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 have high blood pressure, with 46% of those unaware that they have it. If left untreated persistent hypertension can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:
-
– aortic aneurysms
– heart attacks
– heart disease
– heart failure
– kidney disease
– peripheral arterial disease
– strokes
– vascular dementia
If you develop hypertension, reducing it to a lower blood pressure, even by only a small amount can help reduce your risk of developing these life threatening health conditions.
Should I be concerned about my ‘elevated normal’ or ‘hypertension stage 1’ blood pressure numbers?
Your blood pressure’s overall status comes in as ‘elevated normal’ in general, for example the World Health Organisation (WHO) would not currently regard it as being actual hypertension yet, but on the ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) scale, which was revised in 2017 it would already be classified as being within their hypertension stage 1 range.
Either way it is a warning sign that you could be on your way to developing long-term high blood pressure (hypertension) problems and you should take steps to alter your lifestyle in order to bring it back down to a lower blood pressure range. It is unlikely that you would recognise any high blood pressure symptoms yet, as they only tend to manifest themselves at extremely high blood pressures.
There are several recommended lifestyle changes you might make alongside seeking any further recommendations from your healthcare professional, for example:
Quit Smoking/Vaping and Reduce The Amount Of Alcohol You Drink
Smoking (and vaping) or drinking too much alcohol can cause both short and long term increases in your blood pressure. While drinking low levels of alcohol has been shown to reduce blood pressure in some studies, exceeding moderate recommended intake levels can lead to alcohol induced hypertension – which has been shown to affect about 16% of the US population in past studies.Keep Your Weight Under Control
Increased weight is normally associated with increased blood pressure. Losing a kilogram or 2.2 pounds will generally reduce you blood pressure reading by 1mm of mercury (mmHg). Women should look to keep waist sizes under 89cm or 35 inches and men less than 89cm or 40 inches (depending on ethnic group). Carrying too much weight around the waist increases the risk of high blood pressure.
Eat A Healthy Diet
Keeping to a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and grains alongside low fat dairy products will lower the amount of saturated fats you intake. You should also keep the amount of salt in your diet relatively low, as salt increases blood pressure. However, as with caffeine, which may also increase blood pressure after consumption by around 10mmHg, sensitivity varies from person to person. Eating foods high in potassium helps reduce the effects of sodium on blood pressure. According to the AHA most adults should aim to limit their sodium intake to around 1.5 grams a day (a teaspoon has about 2.5g), while the World Health Organisation (WHO) deems the average actual consumption is closer to 9-12 grams per day. Opt for low sodium varieties of any processed food you buy, as processed food is typically high in salt content and accounts for 80% of the dietary salt intake in most countries according to the WHO. So remember to analyse food labels to see how your sodium intake might be adding up. Diet plans referred to as, ‘DASH diets’ (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can be used to help achieve lower blood pressure as part of healthy lifestyle changes.Exercise and Find Ways to Reduce Stress
If you want to aim for lower blood pressure, you should exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. This can be done through activities like fast walking, yoga, swimming, weight training, or playing any active sport. You can also try to reduce stress in your life by avoiding things that trigger it, or consciously attempt to handle stressful situations calmly. Some people find that reducing stress is helped by meditating, hypnosis or even just pursuing their interests and hobbies outside of work. Dogs have also been found to be beneficial in reducing stress and lowering blood pressure in humans and aside from the interaction with them, they provide an excellent reason to exercise every day.
Key Takeaways: 88/81 Blood Pressure
- Classification by Region:
- EU: Normal
- Japan: Elevated
- UK: High Normal
- US: Hypertension Stage 1
- Understanding the Reading:
- A blood pressure reading of 88/81 is interpreted differently across countries, ranging from ‘normal’ to ‘Hypertension Stage 1’.
- The systolic pressure (when the heart contracts) is 88 mmHg, and the diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes) is 81 mmHg.
- Both systolic and diastolic readings are crucial for health assessment. The less favorable of the two typically determines the overall blood pressure classification.
- Blood Pulse Pressure:
- Blood pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic readings. For a reading of 88/81, the pulse pressure is 7mmHg.
- A normal pulse pressure is around 40mmHg. A pulse pressure below 25% of the systolic reading is concerning, while over 100% indicates potential risks. Yours comes in at 8%.
- Interpretation Across Countries:
- Different countries have varying scales and boundaries for blood pressure categories. For instance, the US revised its scale in 2017, lowering the hypertension threshold, while the EU maintained its previous boundary in 2018.
- General Blood Pressure Information:
- A normal blood pressure range is between 90/60mmHG and 120/80mmHg.
- High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a silent killer with potential severe health risks, including heart disease, strokes, and kidney disease.
- Managing Blood Pressure:
- Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol and stress, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, considering things like dairy, and regular exercise, can help manage and reduce blood pressure.
- Monitoring blood pressure at home provides a more consistent average than occasional doctor visits.
- Recommendations:
- Individuals with a reading of 88/81 should consider lifestyle modifications to prevent potential long-term hypertension issues. Regular monitoring and consultation with healthcare professionals are advised.