Is 160 over 100 dangerous?
160/100 is stage 2 high blood pressure in the US system and grade 2 hypertension elsewhere. It is not an emergency on its own, but it is the level that is treated, not watched.
Rest five minutes and measure again. If it stays at or above 160/100 across a few days of home readings, see a doctor within the week; treatment usually starts with one tablet plus the habit changes.
It becomes urgent with chest pain, breathlessness, a severe headache, confusion, weakness on one side or trouble seeing, or if the reading reaches 180/120.
Source: American Heart Association, understanding blood pressure readings
See a doctor promptly if
- A reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher with chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side, slurred speech, confusion or sudden visual change. This is an emergency
- Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher in pregnancy, especially with headache, upper abdominal pain, visual disturbance or sudden swelling
- A repeated reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher even without symptoms. This needs same-day medical assessment
- New severe headache, nosebleeds that will not stop, or breathlessness lying flat alongside high readings
- Blood in the urine, or a sharp fall in how much urine you pass, together with high readings
Check your blood pressure1 min, free, nothing to install
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
If you are buying a monitor
Get an upper-arm cuff, not a wrist one, from a validated brand like Omron. Expect $30 to $60. Check the cuff size fits your arm; a too-small cuff reads high.
Buying through this link supports the free library with a small commission. It never changes a pick.
Have your own result?
Send the report. A doctor explains every value in writing within 3 days.
People also ask
Health education, not medical advice.