what is a new normal blood pressure
View All. For a long time, normal blood pressure was defined as 120/80 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic). Recently, however, the American Heart Association revised its guidelines about what an optimal blood pressure range is, and when blood pressure is considered too high or too low. While 120/80 used to be considered normal, the new guidelines define three levels of abnormal blood pressure values. 120-139 / 80-89 is now considered to be âprehypertensionâ (or âalmost high blood pressure), and doctors are watching blood pressures in this range more carefully than in the past.