Medical Emergencies · single question
A patient's blood pressure measures 145/95 mmHg. Per current AHA/ACC blood pressure staging guidelines, what category does this fall into?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Stage 2 hypertension (systolic ≥140 OR diastolic ≥90 mmHg — both values here independently qualify)
Per the current AHA/ACC blood pressure classification: Normal <120/80; Elevated 120-129/<80; Stage 1 hypertension 130-139/80-89; Stage 2 hypertension ≥140/≥90; Hypertensive crisis >180/>120. A reading of 145/95 mmHg qualifies as Stage 2 hypertension on the basis of EITHER the systolic (145, which exceeds 140) OR the diastolic (95, which exceeds 90) value alone — both independently place this reading in the Stage 2 category.
Practice Medical Emergencies questions Medical Emergencies study notes