Hypertension Classification 

Blood pressure is usually classified based on the systolic & diastolic blood pressures. Systolic blood pressure is the blood pressure in vessels during a heart beat. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure between heartbeats. A systolic or the diastolic blood pressure measurement higher than the accepted normal values for the age of the individual is classified as prehypertension or hypertension.

Hypertension has several sub-classifications including, hypertension stage I, hypertension stage II, & isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated systolic hypertension refers to elevated systolic pressure with normal diastolic pressure & is common in the elderly. These classifications are made after averaging a patient's resting blood pressure readings taken on 2 or more office visits. Individuals older than 50 years are classified as having hypertension if their blood pressure is consistently at least 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic. Patients with blood pressures higher than 130/80 mmHg with concomitant presence of diabetes mellitus or kidney disease require further treatment.

Hypertension is also classified as resistant if medications do not reduce blood pressure to normal levels.

Exercise hypertension is an excessively high elevation in blood pressure during exercise. The range considered normal for systolic values during exercise is between 200 & 230 mm Hg. Exercise hypertension might indicate that an individual is at risk for developing hypertension at rest.