A blood pressure of 105/73 mmHg is a good reading. It falls squarely within the normal category, which the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology define as below 120/80 mmHg. Both your top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic) are comfortably in the healthy range, and this reading is well above the threshold for low blood pressure.
Where 105/73 Falls on the Chart
The 2025 AHA/ACC guidelines break adult blood pressure into three main categories:
- Normal: below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- Elevated: 120 to 129 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- Hypertension Stage 1: 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic
At 105/73, both numbers land in the normal zone. If your two numbers ever fall into different categories, you’re classified by the higher one. In your case, both point to the same place: normal.
Why This Reading Is Better Than “Just OK”
A systolic pressure in the 100 to 110 range isn’t just acceptable. It’s closer to optimal. Multiple large clinical trials, including SPRINT and ESPRIT, have shown that keeping systolic pressure below 120 mmHg reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death. The SPRINT MIND study also found that lower blood pressure helped protect against cognitive decline and dementia over time.
Your diastolic reading of 73 sits comfortably in the middle of the healthy range. There’s nothing borderline about either number.
When Low Blood Pressure Becomes a Problem
Some people worry that 105 is “too low.” It isn’t. Hypotension, or clinically low blood pressure, is generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg. Your systolic of 105 is 15 points above that cutoff, and your diastolic of 73 is well above the 60 threshold.
Even readings that technically qualify as low aren’t always a concern. Most health professionals only treat low blood pressure when it causes symptoms. Those symptoms include dizziness or lightheadedness, fainting, blurred vision, nausea, and unusual fatigue. If you feel fine at 105/73, the reading is working in your favor. What counts as “too low” varies from person to person, and a number that causes problems for one individual can be perfectly normal for another.
Age and Blood Pressure Targets
For most adults under 80, guidelines recommend keeping systolic pressure below 140 mmHg at a minimum, with growing evidence supporting a target below 120. A reading of 105 easily clears both bars. For adults 80 and older, guidelines are slightly more relaxed, generally aiming for systolic pressure between 140 and 150 mmHg because very aggressive lowering can sometimes cause dizziness or falls in older, frailer individuals.
If you’re younger or middle-aged, 105/73 is an excellent place to be. If you’re over 80 and feeling well at this level, it’s still a healthy reading, but it’s worth mentioning to your doctor if you experience any lightheadedness, particularly when standing up.
Getting an Accurate Reading
A single blood pressure reading is a snapshot, not a portrait. Several factors can shift your numbers by 10 points or more in either direction. The CDC recommends following a specific routine for reliable results at home:
- Timing: Avoid food, drinks, caffeine, alcohol, and exercise for at least 30 minutes before measuring.
- Bladder: Empty it before you sit down.
- Position: Sit with your back supported, both feet flat on the floor, and legs uncrossed. Rest your arm on a table at chest height.
- Cuff fit: Place the cuff on bare skin, snug but not tight.
- Stillness: Don’t talk during the reading.
Nervousness can also inflate your numbers. As many as one in three people who get a high reading at the doctor’s office have normal pressure outside of it, a phenomenon called white coat syndrome. Measuring at home in a calm setting typically gives a more representative picture. If you want to confirm that 105/73 is your true baseline, take readings at the same time each day for a week and look at the average.
What the Two Numbers Tell You
The top number (105 in your case) measures the force your blood exerts on artery walls each time your heart pumps. The bottom number (73) measures that force between beats, while the heart is filling with blood. Both numbers matter, but systolic pressure tends to get more attention because it rises with age and is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk in most adults. A systolic reading of 105 suggests your heart is pumping efficiently without overworking your arteries.
Your diastolic pressure of 73 confirms that your arteries aren’t under excessive pressure even during the resting phase of each heartbeat. Together, the two numbers paint a consistent picture of healthy cardiovascular function.