A blood pressure of 142/90 mmHg is categorized as which stage according to ACC/AHA guidelines?

A blood pressure reading of 142/90 mmHg falls under Stage 1 hypertension according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines. These guidelines classify blood pressure ranges into specific categories to help in the assessment and management of hypertension.

For adults, normal blood pressure is categorized as less than 120/80 mmHg. Elevated blood pressure is defined as systolic between 120-129 mmHg and diastolic less than 80 mmHg. Stage 1 hypertension is characterized by systolic readings ranging from 130 to 139 mmHg or diastolic readings from 80 to 89 mmHg. Since the given reading of 142/90 mmHg has a systolic value of 142 mmHg, it exceeds the threshold for Stage 1 hypertension, confirming its classification in that stage.

In summary, the reading clearly indicates Stage 1 hypertension rather than any of the other categories such as normal, pre-hypertension, or Stage 2 hypertension, where the thresholds are significantly higher.