Blood Pressure Of 95/55

Gender And Blood Pressure

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According to the National Institute on Aging, males are more likely to have high blood pressure before age 55, while normal blood pressure for women tends to rise after menopause. Women are less likely than men to experience complications associated with high blood pressure.

However, regardless of differences in the prevalence and complications of high blood pressure between the sexes, treatment and diagnosis are the same for both men and women.

What Low Blood Pressure Means

Hypotension is the medical term for low blood pressure, which is typically defined by a blood pressure reading of 90/60 mm Hg or lower. For reference, a normal blood pressure range is around 100/60 mm Hg to 120/80 mm Hg.

Low blood pressure with no symptoms is rarely a cause for concern, says Nicole Weinberg, MD, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. In fact, some people have chronic low blood pressure, but feel fine, and do not need to be treated.

However, if low blood pressure is combined with symptoms of dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, it could be a sign that you need medical attention.

Normal Blood Pressure For Children

Normal BP ranges vary in children by age. The University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital provides this blood pressure chart:

Normal Blood Pressure for Children
Systolic
112128 mm Hg	6680 mm Hg

What is considered healthy for your child also varies by height, age, and sex. You can use Baylor College of Medicine’s calculator to see if your childs blood pressure reading is in a healthy range.

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Causes Of High Blood Pressure

For many people, no one specific factor leads to the development of high blood pressure. It tends to develop gradually over time as a result of age and the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.

However, some lifestyle factors can speed up the onset of high blood pressure. A few of these factors include a high-sodium diet, too much alcohol, inactivity, and stress.

Health conditions like thyroid disease, kidney disease, and sleep apnea might increase your risk of high blood pressure. Taking medications such as prescription drugs, decongestants, and pain relievers may also be contributing factors.

Side Effects Of Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure may not be discussed as often as high blood pressure, but it should be addressed, as prolonged low blood pressure can negatively affect your organs.

A certain amount of blood pressure is needed to maintain blood flow to the organs, says Dr. Wong. The blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to these organs. If the blood pressure is too low, an adequate blood supply cannot get to these organs.

If left untreated, low blood pressure can increase your risk of fainting, heart attack and organ damage, adds Dr. Desai.

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Why Are Two Values In The Blood Pressure Reading

Blood pressure is expressed with two values, separated by a slash and with a unit , for example 125/85 mm Hg pronounced 125 over 85 millimeters of mercury .

The first value represents blood pressure during the heart contraction and is called systolic blood pressure
The second value represents blood pressure during the heart relaxation and is called diastolic blood pressure

Medications For High Blood Pressure

There is a large variety of medicines available to lower and manage high blood pressure. Your doctor may call them antihypertensives, .

These medications do not cure high blood pressure, but they do help manage it. Once you start to take medicines to manage your blood pressure, you may need to take them for the rest of your life. However, the dose of these medicines may change over time.

If you need to take medication, your doctor will advise you on the correct type and dose. Two or more different medications are often needed to manage blood pressure.

Make sure you take your medicines regularly. Some things that may help you remember to take them include:

Building them into your daily routine by taking them at the same time each day.
Keeping them somewhere that will remind you such as next to your alarm, or with your coffee or tea.
Using a weekly pill box.
Asking a family member or friend to remind you.
Always carrying a list of your medicines and their doses with you.
Entering a daily alarm in your mobile phone or download an app to remind you.

Take any blood pressure medicine exactly as prescribed. Dont stop or change your medicine, unless your doctor advises you to.

Living With Low Blood Pressure

Medicines and lifestyle changes can help you live safely with chronic low blood pressure. Your doctor can recommend steps you can take to manage your low blood pressure. These actions can help control the condition:

Drink more water. This can help avoid dehydration.

Medicines and lifestyle changes can help you live safely with chronic low blood pressure.

Avoid alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are dehydrating, and alcohol changes how medicines work in your body.

Slow down. Take your time when standing up. If lying down, sit up first. Then wiggle your feet and move your legs. This will increase circulation and get your heart rate up so that you dont feel lightheaded when you stand up.

If your medicine and lifestyle changes do not reduce your low blood pressure symptoms, talk with your doctor about other changes you can make.

Significant Increase In Risk Of Heart Attack Or Stroke

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The 10 percent of participants with the biggest spike in blood pressure upon standing were almost twice as likely to experience events like heart attacks and strokes by the end of the study, according to the study, published March 17 in Hypertension. These people had average systolic blood pressure increases of 11.4 mmHg upon standing, and all of them experienced increases greater than 6.5 mmHg.

Among all the others in the study, systolic blood pressure dipped by an average of 3.8 mmHg when they stood up.

Interestingly, the people with the biggest blood pressure increases upon standing had similar cardiovascular risk profiles to others in the study in many ways they had similar activity levels, similar weight profiles, and similar family histories when it came to cardiovascular events.

People with the biggest standing blood pressure spikes were, however, more likely to smoke. On the other side of the ledger, they tended to have lower total cholesterol levels as well as lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol.

One limitation of the study is that it included only white people and most of the participants were male. Results might be different for women or for people from other racial or ethnic groups.

When Is Low Blood Pressure Too Low Hypotension And More

Some people naturally have low blood pressure, known as hypotension. However, when high blood pressure suddenly becomes low blood pressure, it could be cause for concern.

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Low blood pressure, or hypotension, may be a sign of good health and of a decreased risk of heart disease. But not always. At times, continually low blood pressure or a sudden drop in blood pressure can lead to worrisome symptoms and even serious health problems.

What To Do If Your Blood Pressure Reading Is 95/51

The first thing to do is to check your pulse. If your pulse is over 90 your heart may be compensating for the low blood pressure. Call the doctor for advice if youre pulse is high and your experiencing any unusual symptoms.

As an aside, home blood pressure monitors are amazingly affordable and great way to stay on top of your blood pressure. So invest in your health and check out .

You dont need to do anything if your pulse is normal and youre not experiencing any symptoms.

Diastolic Blood Pressure: How Low Is Too Low

Blood pressure consists of two numbers. Systolic pressure, the force exerted on blood vessels when the heart beats, is the upper number. Diastolic pressure, the force exerted when the heart is at rest, is on the bottom in more ways than one. Systolic pressure attracts the lions share of attention from physicians and patients, says UAB cardiologist Jason Guichard, M.D., Ph.D.

Physicians are busy people, and like it or not they often focus on a single number, Guichard said. Systolic blood pressure is the focus, and diastolic pressure is almost completely ignored. That is a mistake, he argues. The majority of your arteries feed your organs during systole. But your coronary arteries are different they are surrounding the aortic valve, so they get blood only when the aortic valve closes and that happens in diastole.

Diastolic pressure has been getting more attention lately, however, thanks in part to an influential paper in Hypertension, written in 2011 by Guichard and Ali Ahmed, M.D., then a professor of medicine in UABs Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care and now the associate chief of staff for Health and Aging at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Most people are trying to lower their blood pressure. What would you define as too low, and why is that a problem?

Medications With Blood Pressure Of 95/57

You may get low blood pressure as a side effect of certain medications. Already on blood pressure medication? If so it may be working too well and should be adjusted.

Talk to your doctor about adjusting your blood pressure medication dosage.

If lifestyle changes dont work to raise your blood pressure your doctor might prescribe medicines such as Fludrocortisone, which promotes sodium retention, or Midodrine, which activates receptors in arteries to promote blood pressure.

Read Also: How To Deal With Hypertension

Treatment For Low Blood Pressure Depends On The Cause

If a cause can be found, a GP will be able to recommend treatment to ease your symptoms.

For example, they may suggest:

changing medicines or altering your dose, if this is the cause
wearing support stockings this can improve circulation and increase blood pressure

Medicine to increase blood pressure is rarely needed because simple lifestyle measures or treating the underlying cause is usually effective.

What Is Normal Blood Pressure Range

For an adult , any blood pressure between 120/80 and 90/60, measured in the sitting position on the upper arm, is considered as normal.

It was found out that people with blood pressure within this range are at least risk to suffer from heart attack, stroke or other circulatory disorders , so it is often called optimal, ideal or healthy blood pressure range.

Standing up for a while, exercising, stress and even appointment with a doctor can increase blood pressure for more than 10 mm Hg within few minutes, so an average value from several blood pressure measurements rather than one single measurement should be considered as actual blood pressure.

Blood pressure tends to increase with age, so many doctors consider readings as high as 150/85 in old people as normal. However, many health institutions claim that blood pressure above 120/80 should be always considered as increased risk to develop a circulation-related disorder .

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How To Stop Blood Pressure Getting Too Low

Low blood pressure itself is generally not a cause for concern until it gets too low and begins causing symptoms. Managing any issues that influence blood pressure may help prevent these numbers from dropping too low.

For example, people taking high blood pressure medications should monitor their dosage and blood pressure to be sure their numbers do not drop too low.

If their blood pressure starts dropping lower than usual, they should contact a doctor. The doctor may want to adjust the medication or check for interactions with anything else the person may be taking.

Managing other individual risk factors from underlying conditions may also help prevent blood pressure from getting too low.

wearing compression stockings

Doctors may also recommend changes in some medication, such as adjusting medications for high blood pressure if they lead to dangerously low blood pressure.

Doctors will discuss any and all treatments with the patient in each case, and their exact recommendations may vary.

What You Should Know About A Blood Pressure Of 95/52

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Low blood pressure rarely causes any severe symptoms, but some patients experience debilitating side effects. The recommended blood pressure reading for healthy adults is 90 over 60 mm Hg . Your blood pressure of 95/52 is below the recommended range and considered low blood pressure. Fainting episodes and dizzy spells are two common symptoms associated with dangerously low blood pressure or BP. This condition is known as hypotension and can have life-threatening consequences if left unchecked. Several health-related conditions and life events can cause BP levels to drop. In some cases, an underlying medical condition, surgical disorders, or dehydration might be responsible.

Low Blood Pressure When You Stand Up

Sometimes, changes in your posture can cause your blood pressure to drop, for example, going from sitting or lying down to standing up. You might feel the symptoms listed above when you stand up, such as feeling dizzy or faint. They will pass quickly as your body adjusts, but can put you at risk of falls.

This is called postural hypotension or orthostatic hypotension. Its caused by changes to your arteries which happen as you get older and if youre taking medications to lower your blood pressure.

The animation below provides information on the causes, symptoms and potential interventions related to orthostatic hypotension.

This film was produced by Newcastle University for work completed by Dr James Frith, supported by the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre.

What Causes Low Blood Pressure

There are many possible reasons for low blood pressure, according to both Dr. Wong and Dr. Desai, including:

Heart problems like heart failure or low heart rates
Endocrine problems, such as parathyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency or hypoglycemia
Side effects of medications for high blood pressure, prostatic hypertrophy, Parkinsons disease, depression and erectile dysfunction
Massive weight loss

Rapid heart rate

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Normal Blood Pressure By Age Race And Gender

Previously, guidance for normal blood pressure for adults varied by gender and specific age, but new data states normal blood pressure for adults as a collective is less than 120/80 mmHgHigh Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 7/16/2021. .

When it comes to race and ethnicity, Dr. Desai says certain groups have a higher rate of hypertension. Non-Hispanic Black people have a significantly higher rate of hypertension compared to non-Hispanic white people, and Hispanics and non-Hispanic Asians have lower rates than the first two, he says.

The reason for this variance can range from substandard insurance coverage and poor access to healthcare to gaps in the use of medications to treat multiple conditions with reduced compliance in certain groups, he adds.

As for gender, theres increasing evidence for risk of cardiovascular disease in women with blood pressures lower than what is considered normal, says Jennifer Wong, M.D., medical director of non-invasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

How Is Low Blood Pressure Diagnosed

Like high blood pressure, low blood pressure can be diagnosed easily with a .

If you feel dizzy or faint when you stand up, you might need to have your blood pressure measured when youre lying down and again while you are standing up.

You might be offered a tilt table test. This is where you lie on a table that starts in a horizontal position, then slowly tilts so that youre in an almost upright position as if you were standing. You will have your blood pressure and pulse monitored, and any symptoms you feel will be recorded. You might also have a blood test to check the levels of certain hormones.

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What Is High Blood Pressure

Generally, if a person has a blood pressure reading greater than 140/90 mmHg taken at least 3 times at the same clinic, they have high blood pressure. Your doctor may confirm this using a 24-hour blood pressure measurement or getting you to measure your blood pressure at home.

Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, and may feel quite well. This is why its important to see your doctor and have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially if you have one or more of the known risk factors.

A few people with very high blood pressure may experience headache, dizziness or the sudden effects of diseases of the arteries such as chest pain or stroke.

Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

Throughout the day, your blood pressure can vary by between 30-40 mmHg depending on what you are doing. Having a stressful week at work, the temperature outside, and even what you had for lunch could affect your blood pressure reading.

Each time that you have your blood pressure measured, it is important that the test is carried out under similar conditions to ensure that the results are consistent. If you have a low blood pressure reading, your GP will first consider the everyday causes that might have affected it, before considering the possible underlying causes.

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Get Regular Blood Pressure Checks

If your blood pressure is in the healthy range and you have no other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and no personal or family history of high blood pressure, it is still important to have a check at least every two years. Your doctor can also check your blood pressure during routine visits.

If your blood pressure is highnormal , or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as a personal or family history of high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack, it is best to have it checked more frequently such as every 6 to 12 months or as directed by your doctor. Ask your doctor for advice.