What Is Low Blood Pressure
While hypertension can be problematic for your overall health, blood pressure thats too low can also be cause for concern. With that said, the American Heart Association doesnt recognize a specific day-to-day blood pressure reading as too low. Instead, its a matter of what symptoms you may be experiencing due to low blood pressure, how these symptoms affect you and how long they persist.
Normal Bp Range For Adults By Age
| Age Group | |
|---|---|
| 134 | 87 |
Understanding the normal BP range with age can help the doctor and you to estimate your cardiovascular health. Blood pressure levels can fluctuate significantly from one reading to the next and it is important to remember that just one abnormally high reading does not signify that you have high blood pressure. Doctors usually use an average of multiple blood pressure readings taken over a period of several days to arrive at a diagnosis of high blood pressure.
What Is A Healthy Pressure Range
Blood pressure measures the force your heart uses to pump blood around the body.
Blood pressure is recorded in millimetres of mercury its measured using two recorded numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressure.
The first number is the systolic pressure is the force that your heart pumps blood around the body.
The second number in your reading is the diastolic pressure.
This number shows the resistance to blood flow in the blood vessels.
Healthy blood pressure should sit between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
If your readings sit above 120/80mmHg you could be at risk of high blood pressure.
Elevated blood pressure readings range from 120 to 129 systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic.
Brits with elevated blood pressure are at risk of developing high blood pressure without preventative steps, such as changing unhealthy lifestyle habits.
But blood pressure increases as you get older according to the medical website Thrombocyte so what is a healthy level for your age?
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If You Notice A Sudden Decline In Blood Pressure
A single lower-than-normal reading is not cause for alarm, unless you are experiencing any other symptoms or problems. If you experience any dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea or other symptoms, its a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider. To help with your diagnosis, keep a record of your symptoms and activities at the time they occurred.
Is low blood pressure related to low heart rate? Find out.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
Last Reviewed: Oct 31, 2016
Average Blood Pressure By Age
As you get older, your blood vessels tend to become stiffer and plaque can build up in them, which can raise your blood pressure. If your blood pressure becomes too high, you’re at a greater risk for heart disease, strokes, and more.
In 2015, the average blood pressure worldwide was 127/79 mm Hg in men, and 122/77 mm Hg in women, according to a study analysis published in Lancet.
When researchers for the National Center for Health Statistics looked at average blood pressure in U.S. adults between 2001 and 2008, the average reading was 122/71 mm Hg. The breakout was 124/72 mm Hg for men, and 121/70 mm Hg in women. It rose by age and was significantly higher in Black people.
The researchers found the following breakdown by age, sex, and race or ethnicity:
| Blood Pressure by Age |
|---|
As the population ages and life expectancy increases, high blood pressure is becoming more common.
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Stroke And Brain Problems
High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke. Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities. A stroke can also kill you.
Having high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is linked to having poorer cognitive function and dementia later in life. Learn more about the link between high blood pressure and dementia from the National Institutes of Healths Mind Your Risks®external icon campaign.
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What Type Of Results Do You Get
Your blood pressure reading has two measurements:
- Systolic blood pressure : This is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is beating and sending blood into your arteries.
- Diastolic blood pressure : This is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest between heartbeats.
Providers give the measurements as millimeters of mercury . They started using these measurements when instruments to measure blood pressure contained mercury.
Normal Blood Pressure Range For Children By Age And Gender
| Age Group | |
|---|---|
| 92/53-130/90 | 93/55-129/88 |
The normal bp range changes continuously for children throughout childhood, and the blood pressure is lowest in infancy and steadily increases till the child turns 10. Also, it is important to note that the normal BP is different for girls and boys belonging to the same age group.
As mentioned earlier, it is least likely for children to suffer from blood pressure problems unless they have an underlying condition such as a kidney disease or diabetes, and therefore, doctors rarely check the BP in children during their regular checkups.
Determining the normal blood pressure range in children is a little complicated, and it all depends on the size and age of the child. One rule of thumb that doctors use to determine BP troubles in children is that, a child is considered to be suffering from Prehypertension. If he/she has a blood pressure higher than that of 90% of the children of the same age and size. The child is said to have hypertension if he/she has a blood pressure higher than that of 95% of the children of the same age and size.
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Heart And Vascular Risk From High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure has a strong connection to a persons overall risk for heart and vascular problems, including heart attacks and strokes. If youre between ages 40 and 89, the AHA notes that your risk for heart disease and stroke doubles with every 20 points of systolic pressure and every 10 points of diastolic pressure.
Taken together with any other factors you might have, such as a family history of heart or vascular disease, or being overweight or obese, your blood pressure is a piece of the puzzle your doctor puts together to decide how to manage that risk. If youre at relatively low risk, you might be able to lower your high blood pressure through lifestyle changes without the use of medications. If youre at high risk, however, youll very likely need to use both lifestyle changes and medications. People who have high blood pressure along with another risk factor, such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease, are examples of those who are at higher risk.
Variations In Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure changes to meet your bodys needs. If a reading is high, your doctor may measure your blood pressure again on several separate occasions to confirm the level.
Your doctor may also recommend that you measure your blood pressure at home or have a 24-hour recording with a monitoring device.
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High Blood Pressure Levels
Nearly half of American adults have hypertension, and only 1 in 4 adults have the condition under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Statistics from the World Health Organization reveal that an estimated 1.13 billion people have high blood pressure globally and that its a major cause of premature death.
Having high blood pressure negatively affects the body in many ways. Hypertension causes the heart to work harder than normal, it can damage arteries, enlarge the left ventricle of the heart, and even cause cognitive impairment, strokes, and heart failure. Chronically high blood pressure levels can damage retinas in the eyes, cause liver failure, kidney disease, and sexual dysfunction.
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What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure In Women
High blood pressure, also known as HBP or hypertension, is widely misunderstood and is called the silent killer because there can often be no symptoms. We often assume it affects those who are type-A personalities, tense and aggressive. But the truth is, it has nothing to do with personality traits. In fact, you can be the most relaxed, calm person and still suffer from HBP.
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What Is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure .
The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines.
The guidelines used to diagnose high blood pressure may differ from health care professional to health care professional:
- Some health care professionals diagnose patients with high blood pressure if their blood pressure is consistently 140/90 mm Hg or higher.2 This limit is based on a guideline released in 2003, as seen in the table below.
- Other health care professionals diagnose patients with high blood pressure if their blood pressure is consistently 130/80 mm Hg or higher.1 This limit is based on a guideline released in 2017, as seen in the table below.
| systolic: 130 mm Hg or higherdiastolic: 80 mm Hg or higher |
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, talk with your health care team about your blood pressure levels and how these levels affect your treatment plan.
What Treatments Are Available For Patients With High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Without treatment, you can have a transient ischemic attack or stroke, heart attack, enlarged heart, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease , aneurysms, kidney disease, and broken blood vessels in your eyes. Treatment includes making changes recommended by your healthcare provider.
Diet and lifestyle changes:
- Reach and stay at your ideal body weight
- Get regular exercise
- Eat a well-balanced, heart-healthy diet that is low in salt, fat and cholesterol, and contains lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Your diet is an important part of blood pressure control. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan and limiting sodium help control blood pressure. Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian for a more personalized eating plan.
- Having no more than two alcoholic drinks per day and no more than one drink per day for women and lighter-weight men. One drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer or wine cooler, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
- Control stress and anger.
- Avoid all tobacco and nicotine products.
- Other lifestyle changes, such as controlling lipid levels and managing other health conditions, such as diabetes.
Medications and follow-up care:
Your doctor may ask you to record your blood pressure at home. Follow your doctors instructions for recording your blood pressure.
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What Does The Systolic Blood Pressure Number Mean
When your heart beats, it squeezes and pushes blood through your arteries to the rest of your body. This force creates pressure on those blood vessels, and that’s your systolic blood pressure.
Hereâs how to understand your systolic blood pressure number:
- Normal: Below 120
- Stage 1 high blood pressure : 130-139
- Stage 2 hypertension: 140 or more
- Hypertensive crisis: 180 or more. Call 911.
How Do I Know If I Have High Blood Pressure
Theres only one way to know if you have high blood pressure: Have a doctor or other health professional measure it. Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless.
Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure monitoring.
High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it.
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How Is Blood Pressure Tested
There are a variety of ways to test blood pressure. If you are testing in your home, it may be best to use an electric, automated upper arm band test. This is because it takes little training to use and will give fairly accurate results.
Other tests like wrist and finger measurements are subject to being slightly inaccurate. The way you hold or position your arm can complicate the reading and it is generally easier to use an upper arm band.
Sometimes you might feel nervous before getting your blood pressure tested which can increase it. It is best to rest for a few minutes before taking your pressure. Some doctors even recommend not paying attention to the result you get on the first day of testing your blood pressure because it might not be so accurate.
There is such a thing as the white coat effect. This happens when you see a doctor and, because he or she is an authoritative figure, your blood pressure goes up and is higher than it would normally be. To help avoid this, some doctors have the nurse take your blood pressure when you are relaxed.
Numbers taken from:
1) ESH-ESC Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension2) Self-Measurement of Blood Pressure at Home in the Management of Hypertension
What Should I Expect After The Blood Pressure Test
If youre nervous when you go to your appointment, you could have a false high blood pressure reading. This is called white coat syndrome. If this happens, your healthcare provider may ask you to use a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure throughout the day. You can bring a record of your blood pressure readings to your appointments.
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How Is High Blood Pressure Treated
There are two typical ways to treat blood pressure lifestyle changes or medication.
Lifestyle changes can consist of losing weight, drinking less alcohol and getting exercise. Dietary changes can also help lower blood pressure, like consuming less salt and fats and eating more fruits and vegetables.
There are many medications that help treat blood pressure. The most commonly used are the ace inhibitors, the beta-blockers, the calcium channels blockers, and diuretics .
For more ideas in general, see How to Lower Blood Pressure. It tells you what are the most common ways to lower blood pressure that tend to work well.
Also, Foods that Lower Blood Pressure may be of interest. It discusses which foods might lower your blood pressure and which might raise it.
Who Is Affected By High Blood Pressure
Approximately 1 in 3, more than 100 million, American adults have high blood pressure. But only half of those people have their condition under control. Many people develop high blood pressure when they are in their late 30s or early 40s, and it occurs more frequently as people age. However, because of the obesity epidemic, more and more children are also developing high blood pressure.
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Will High Blood Pressure Effect My Chances Of Getting Pregnant
Women who improve their heart health before pregnancy can reduce their medical risks later. This proactive approach can lower the likelihood of pregnancy complications. If youre considering becoming pregnant, talk to your health care team about healthy changes you can make to help both you and your baby be healthier.
Doctors and researchers have found a link between birth control pills and an increase in blood pressure among some women. They say that it is more likely to occur in women who are overweight, have kidney disease or have a family history of high blood pressure.
Learn more about pregnancy and maternal health, including information on being healthy before, during and after a pregnancy.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
Last Reviewed: Jun 28, 2021