The other day, I measured a new patient's blood pressure, which was 120/80, and told her I wanted to get those numbers down more. "But Doctor," she protested, "why should they be lower? They're perfectly normal!" I explained to her that, yes, national guidelines set "normal" blood pressure at 120/80, but I consider that standard to be arbitrary. I believe your target blood pressure level can be determined only within the context of your other cardiovascular risk factors. For instance, my patient has diabetes and high cholesterol and is overweight, so I'd like to see her blood pressure at 110/70 or even lower. Heart Health Quick fixes for chronic conditions and common ailments. Learn more. The concept of "normal" blood pressure is one of the major misconceptions many people have about hypertension. If you're among the 73 million Americans who have high blood pressure, here are a few others you should know about: Read More..