Free tool
MAP Calculator.
Mean Arterial Pressure is the number that actually tells you whether organs are getting perfused — not the systolic everyone fixates on. Enter a blood pressure, get the MAP, the formula, a worked example, and a plain-English read on where it falls. The classic threshold to remember: a MAP of at least 65 mmHg is the usual target for perfusing vital organs.
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)
Enter the systolic and diastolic from a single blood-pressure reading.
Enter a systolic and diastolic value.
How to read a MAP
| MAP (mmHg) | Read | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| < 60 | Critically low | Below the level generally needed to perfuse vital organs. High risk of end-organ hypoperfusion (brain, kidneys, heart). Escalate. |
| 60–64 | Borderline low | Under the commonly used ≥65 mmHg resuscitation target (e.g., sepsis/shock). Watch closely; often prompts intervention. |
| 65–100 | Adequate / normal | At or above the usual ≥65 perfusion target; 70–100 is the typical normal range for adults. |
| 101–110 | High-normal / elevated | Above typical normal. Correlate with the full BP, fluid status, and any vasoactive drips. |
| > 110 | High | Elevated mean pressure increases afterload and can stress the heart and vessels. Correlate clinically. |
Normal MAP for most adults is 70–100 mmHg. A MAP of at least 65 mmHg is the widely used minimum target to maintain organ perfusion (Surviving Sepsis Campaign). Targets are individualized — a chronically hypertensive patient may need a higher MAP, and post-stroke or specific protocols may set different goals. Always follow the order and your facility's parameters.
Why MAP, not just systolic?
The body spends about two-thirds of the cardiac cycle in diastole, so MAP weights the diastolic pressure twice — it reflects the average pressure pushing blood into the tissues across the whole cycle. That's why MAP, not the systolic number, is what's titrated to in shock and on vasopressor drips. Pulse pressure (SBP − DBP, normally ~40 mmHg) is shown below the result as a bonus; a narrow pulse pressure can flag low stroke volume, a wide one can flag stiff vessels or other states — correlate clinically.
References
- Evans L, Rhodes A, Alhazzani W, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2021. Crit Care Med. 2021;49(11):e1063–e1143. (Recommends an initial target MAP of 65 mmHg in septic shock.)
- DeMers D, Wachs D. Physiology, Mean Arterial Pressure. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; updated 2023. (MAP = [SBP + 2×DBP]/3; normal 70–100 mmHg; ≥60 needed to perfuse organs.)
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