A patient’s blood pressure (BP) reading is 142/91 mm Hg. How would the nurse classify the BP?
A.
Normal.
B.
Prehypertension.
C.
Hypertension, stage 1.
D.
Hypertension, stage 2.
To classify blood pressure readings, the following guidelines are typically used:
- Normal: BP < 120/80 mm Hg
- Prehypertension: BP 120-139/80-89 mm Hg
- Hypertension, Stage 1: BP 140-159/90-99 mm Hg
- Hypertension, Stage 2: BP ≥ 160/100 mm Hg
Given the BP reading of 142/91 mm Hg:
- The systolic BP (142 mm Hg) falls into the range for Hypertension, Stage 1.
- The diastolic BP (91 mm Hg) also falls into the range for Hypertension, Stage 1.
Therefore, the correct classification for a BP of 142/91 mm Hg is:
C. Hypertension, stage 1