What is the normal adult blood pressure range?

• A. Normal is SBP 130-139 or DBP 80-89.
• B. Normal is SBP <120 mmHg and DBP <80 mmHg.
• C. Normal is SBP <140 and DBP <90.
• D. Normal is SBP <110 and DBP <70.

Answer: (B)

Normal adult blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure under 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure under 80 mmHg. Systolic reflects the force when the heart beats, while diastolic is the pressure between beats. Staying below 120/80 is associated with the lowest cardiovascular risk and is the threshold used to separate normal from elevated or hypertensive ranges.

The other ranges push readings into higher risk categories: 130–139 or 80–89 is considered stage 1 hypertension, which is not normal. A threshold like <140 and <90 would include many readings that fall into elevated or hypertensive categories. A value like <110 and <70 is more stringent and often referred to as optimal, but it’s not the standard definition of normal.