Categories and management of blood pressure [1]
| Blood pressure category | Systolic and/or diastolic (mmHg) | Drug therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Less than 120 and less than 80 | No antihypertensive drug indicated |
| Prehypertension | 120–129 and less than 80 | No antihypertensive drug indicated |
| HTN stage 1 | 130–139 or 80–89 | Thiazide-type diuretics for most; may consider ACEI, ARB, BB, CCB, or combination |
| HTN stage 2 | 140 or higher or 90 or higher | Two-drug combination (usually thiazide-type diuretic and ACEI or ARB, BB, CCB) |
| Hypertensive crises | Higher than 180 and/or higher than 120 | Antihypertensive drugs for compelling indications (diuretics, ACEI, ARB, BB, CCB) as needed |
ACEI: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: angiotensin-receptor blocker; BB: beta blocker; CCB: calcium channel blocker; HTN: hypertension