A blood pressure of 108/75 is a good reading. It falls squarely within the normal category, which both American and European guidelines define as the healthiest range. You’re well below the threshold for elevated blood pressure (120/80) and comfortably above the cutoff for low blood pressure (90/60).
Where 108/75 Falls on the Chart
The 2025 AHA/ACC guidelines break adult blood pressure into four categories:
- Normal: below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- Elevated: 120 to 129 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- Stage 1 hypertension: 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic
- Stage 2 hypertension: 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic
At 108/75, both numbers sit inside the normal range. European guidelines from 2024 use slightly different terminology, classifying anything below 120/70 as “nonelevated” and 120 to 139 over 70 to 89 as “elevated.” Under that system, your systolic (108) is nonelevated, while your diastolic (75) lands in the elevated zone. In practice, this distinction matters very little. The European task force intentionally avoided labeling any blood pressure as “optimal” because cardiovascular risk rises continuously with higher readings, even within the normal range. Their point is that lower is generally better, not that 75 diastolic is a problem.
How 108/75 Compares to the Ideal
Research from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute analyzed over 1,400 healthy adults and found that cardiovascular risk keeps dropping as systolic pressure moves lower within the normal range. Among people with a systolic reading of 100 to 109 (right where your 108 sits), roughly 4 in 1,000 experienced a heart attack or stroke over 10 years. That’s half the rate seen in people with systolic readings of 120 to 129, where the number jumped to about 8.3 per 1,000. The average blood pressure in that study group was 111/67, with a median 10-year heart disease risk of just 3%.
A separate landmark trial, SPRINT, found that pushing systolic blood pressure below 120 in higher-risk adults reduced heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure by 25% and lowered overall death risk by 27% compared to a target of 140. Your reading already sits below that 120 threshold naturally, which is a favorable sign for long-term heart health.
What Your Diastolic Number Means
The bottom number, 75, reflects the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats. Normal diastolic pressure is anything below 80. At 75, you’re within that range with a small margin. Diastolic readings become concerning when they reach 80 to 89 (stage 1 hypertension) or 90 and above (stage 2).
Your pulse pressure, the gap between the top and bottom numbers, is 33 mmHg. A wide pulse pressure (above 40) can signal stiffening arteries, and readings above 60 are a recognized risk factor for heart disease, particularly in older adults. At 33, your pulse pressure is on the lower, healthier side of normal.
When a Normal Reading Could Still Be a Concern
Low blood pressure is generally defined as anything below 90/60. At 108/75, you’re nowhere near that threshold. But blood pressure isn’t just about the number on the screen. If you regularly feel dizzy when standing up, lightheaded, unusually fatigued, or faint, those symptoms deserve attention regardless of what the reading says. Most doctors consider blood pressure too low only when it causes symptoms, not based on the number alone.
It’s also worth noting that a single reading is just a snapshot. Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day based on activity, stress, caffeine, hydration, and sleep. The reading you got reflects one moment. Tracking your blood pressure over several days gives a more reliable picture.
Getting an Accurate Reading
The conditions under which you measure can shift your numbers by 10 points or more. The CDC recommends sitting in a comfortable chair with your back supported for at least five minutes before taking a reading. Both feet should be flat on the floor with legs uncrossed. Rest the arm wearing the cuff on a table at chest height. Don’t talk during the measurement. If you were rushing, had just exercised, or were sitting on an exam table with your feet dangling, the reading may not reflect your true resting blood pressure.
Does Age Change What’s Normal?
Blood pressure tends to rise with age as arteries lose flexibility. But the current guidelines apply the same thresholds to all adults, whether you’re 25 or 75. The SPRINT trial deliberately included adults across a wide age range and found benefits of lower blood pressure regardless of age. So 108/75 is a healthy reading whether you’re in your 30s or your 60s. What does shift with age is how easy it is to maintain that number. If you’re younger, healthy habits now help preserve these readings for decades. If you’re older and sitting at 108/75 without medication, that’s a particularly strong indicator of cardiovascular health.