What Is The Range Of Normal Blood Pressure

What Is Normal Blood Pressure Range By Age Adults Children Men Women

Our body depends on a normal blood pressure range to ensure all the body organs and tissues receive adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. Blood pressure is the measure of the force that the heart uses to pump blood around the body. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of Mercury and is given by the doctor as two readings,

Systolic Pressure

Diastolic Pressure

The first of the two readings, i.e. Systolic Blood Pressure, is a measure of the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart contracts and exerts maximum pressure on the blood vessel walls while pushing the blood out.

The second reading, i.e. Diastolic Blood Pressure, measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest, i.e. between contractions. The normal systolic blood pressure is considered to be 120 by most doctors, and the normal diastolic blood pressure is considered to be 80.

Blood pressure normally increases throughout life, right from infancy to older adulthood. For most adults, regardless of their age, the normal BP range is considered to be 120/80 or less.

How To Use A Home Blood Pressure Monitor

• Be still. Don’t smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise within 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Empty your bladder and ensure at least 5 minutes of quiet rest before measurements.
• Sit correctly.Sit with your back straight and supported . Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should not be crossed. Your arm should be supported on a flat surface with the upper arm at heart level. Make sure the bottom of the cuff is placed directly above the bend of the elbow. Check your monitor’s instructions for an illustration or have your healthcare provider show you how.
• Measure at the same time every day. Its important to take the readings at the same time each day, such as morning and evening. It is best to take the readings daily however ideally beginning 2 weeks after a change in treatment and during the week before your next appointment.
• Take multiple readings and record the results. Each time you measure, take two or three readings one minute apart and record the results using a tracker. If your monitor has built-in memory to store your readings, take it with you to your appointments. Some monitors may also allow you to upload your readings to a secure website after you register your profile.
• Don’t take the measurement over clothes.

and/or

HIGHER THAN 120

Note: A diagnosis of high blood pressure must be confirmed with a medical professional. A doctor should also evaluate any unusually low blood pressure readings.

Does High Blood Pressure Increase Heart Rate

Heart rate and blood pressure do not necessarily increase at the same rate. A rising heart rate does not cause your blood pressure to increase at the same rate. Even though your heart is beating more times a minute, healthy blood vessels dilate to allow more blood to flow through more easily. When you exercise, your heart speeds up so more blood can reach your muscles. It may be possible for your heart rate to double safely, while your blood pressure may respond by only increasing a modest amount.

You May Like: Does Giving Blood Lower Blood Pressure

What To Know About High Systolic Blood Pressure

High Systolic Blood Pressure: What to Know 1 Anemia. Anemia occurs when you donât have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to your tissues⦠2 Diabetes. Diabetes happens when the amount of glucose in your blood is too high. 3 Hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland producesâ¦â¦

What Diet Helps Control High Blood Pressure

• Eat foods that are lower in fat, salt and calories, such as skim or 1% milk, fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole-grain rice and pasta.
• Use flavorings, spices and herbs to make foods tasty without using salt. The optimal recommendation for salt in your diet is to have less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day. Don’t forget that most restaurant foods and many processed and frozen foods contain high levels of salt. Use herbs and spices that do not contain salt in recipes to flavor your food. Dont add salt at the table.
• Avoid or cut down on foods high in fat or salt, such as butter and margarine, regular salad dressings, fatty meats, whole milk dairy products, fried foods, processed foods or fast foods and salted snacks.
• Ask your provider if you should increase potassium in your diet. Discuss the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet with your provider. The DASH diet emphasizes adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet while reducing the amount of sodium. Since its rich in fruits and vegetables, which are naturally lower in sodium than many other foods, the DASH diet makes it easier to eat less salt and sodium.

Also Check: How To Take Your Blood Pressure Manually

The Definition For What Is Considered High Blood Pressure Has Been Tightened Here’s What You Need To Know

If you didn’t have high blood pressure before, there’s a good chance you do now.

In 2017, new guidelines from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and nine other health organizations lowered the numbers for the diagnosis of hypertension to 130/80 millimeters of mercury and higher for all adults. The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg for people younger than age 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those ages 65 and older.

This means 70% to 79% of men ages 55 and older are now classified as having hypertension. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered healthy. Why the change?

How Can You Reduce Your Risk Of High Blood Pressure

Fortunately, there are certain things you can do to help reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. These include the following:

• Eat right: A healthy diet is an important step in keeping your blood pressure normal. The DASH diet emphasizes adding fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet while reducing the amount of sodium. Since it is rich in fruits and vegetables, which are naturally lower in sodium than many other foods, the DASH diet makes it easier to eat less salt and sodium.
• Keep a healthy weight: Going hand-in-hand with a proper diet is keeping a healthy weight. Since being overweight increases your blood pressure, losing excess weight with diet and exercise will help lower your blood pressure to healthier levels.
• Cut down on salt: The recommendation for salt in your diet is to have less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day . To prevent hypertension, you should keep your salt intake below this level. Dont forget that most restaurant foods and many processed and frozen foods contain high levels of salt. Use herbs and spices that do not contain salt in recipes to flavor your food do not add salt at the table.
• Keep active: Even simple physical activities, such as walking, can lower your blood pressure .
• Drinkalcoholin moderation: Having more than one drink a day and two drinks a day can raise blood pressure.

Recommended Reading: What Are The Symptoms For High Blood Pressure

Also Check: How To Reverse Pulmonary Hypertension

How Can I Control My Blood Pressure

You can often lower your blood pressure by changing your day-to-day habits and by taking medication if needed. Treatment, especially if you have other medical conditions such as diabetes, requires ongoing evaluation and discussions with your doctor.

Lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent and lower high blood pressure:

In addition to recommending lifestyle changes, your doctor will likely prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure to a safe level. Isolated systolic hypertension, the most common form of high blood pressure in older adults, is treated in the same way as regular high blood pressure but may require more than one type of blood pressure medication. You may try several kinds or combinations of medications before finding a plan that works best for you. Medication can control your blood pressure, but it can’t cure it. If your doctor starts you on medication for high blood pressure, you may need to take it long-term.

How To Properly Interpret Blood Pressure Levels

Because blood pressure is different for every person, there are no specific limits except for excessively high blood pressure values for when it is advisable to see a doctor. However, if the levels rise excessively or the person has symptoms such as shortness of breath, sensations of pressure in the chest, dizziness, or nausea, they should seek medical attention immediately.

Also Check: How To Get Blood Pressure Down Immediately

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.

Diagnosing High Or Low Blood Pressure

Only one of your numbers needs to be higher than it should be to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, and only one needs to be lower than it should be to be diagnosed with low blood pressure.

So if your top number is over 140 or the bottom number is over 90, you may be diagnosed with , regardless of the other number. If your top number is under 90 or your bottom number is under 60, you may be diagnosed with . Use the to see where your numbers sit.

If your top number is consistently higher than 140mmHg, but the bottom number is healthy – this is known as Isolated Systolic Hypertension. If the bottom number is consistently higher than 90mmHg but the top number is healthy – this is known as Isolated Diastolic Hypertension.

Making sure your readings arent a one-off

A single high reading doesnt necessarily mean you have high blood pressure, as many things can affect your blood pressure throughout the day, such as the temperature, when you last ate, and if youre feeling stressed.

Your doctor or nurse will probably want to measure your blood pressure a number of times over a few weeks to make sure the reading wasnt just a one off and that your blood pressure stays high over time.

Read about how , getting a , the you might have if you have a high blood pressure reading, and .

Read Also: What Is The Best Time To Take Blood Pressure Medicine

The Normal Blood Pressure Range For Every Age

Understanding blood pressure ranges is especially important for people living with cardiovascular disease. Having blood pressure that is either too high or too low can be extremely bad for your health. However, high blood pressure is particularly dangerous, as it can increase a persons risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Age is one of the main factors affecting blood pressure. This means that what constitutes a normal or safe blood pressure range changes slightly as we get older.

What Are The Tips For Maintaining Normal Blood Pressure

There are few tips to maintain normal and healthy blood pressure for teenagers and children. Here are tips that include:

• Maintain healthy body weight.
• Consume a diet delicious in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy meals.
• Lower down on sodium, or salt, in the intake.
• Get daily aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 30 minutes at a time, most full days of the week.
• Modest alcohol intake. Men should drink less than two alcoholic beverages a day for men. Women and men with a lower body weight should drink a maximum of one alcohol drink at a time.

Summary

Medications to control high blood pressure are only needed in about 1 percent of children with the disorder. Consult your childs doctor and follow the recommendation as per the specialists. You can also follow the dietary chart as per specialist to take care of childrens body health.

Related Post

Read Also: Is Pulmonary Hypertension Reversible

Also Check: What Is Mmhg In Blood Pressure

And Whats The Definition Of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, puts a strain on your heart and blood vessels and makes you more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes.

Normal blood pressure is regarded as being between 120-129 and 80-84 .

The definition of high blood pressure, according to 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines, is anything above 140/90 mmHg. If you measure it in the comfort of your own home, where youre likely to be more relaxed, the limit is slightly lower at 135/85.

If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90, you may be at risk of developing hypertension at some stage in the future unless you take action to bring it under control. This is called prehypertension.

A blood pressure reading of over 180/120 is dangerously high. Doctors call this a hypertensive crisis, and it requires immediate treatment.

Systolic blood pressure, the top number, is more important than diastolic blood pressure in people over 40. Thats because its a better predictor of stroke and heart attack. And only one of the two numbers has to be higher than it should be to count as high blood pressure.

All this can be summarised in a blood pressure chart, like this:

To check your blood pressure against the chart, start from your systolic pressure on the left-hand side, and move your finger to the right until you reach your diastolic pressure. The colour will tell you whether you have normal or abnormal blood pressure.

Does Normal Blood Pressure Change With Age

Just as our blood pressure readings change according to our posture, sleep time, and stress levels throughout the day, our blood pressure changes as we age. Despite the fluctuating or changing measurements, we should maintain a normal range. As we age, we can expect changes in our cardiovascular health, including our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are several factors that reflect our blood pressure levels over the years, including normal blood pressure for seniors.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Lower Number In Blood Pressure

Understanding The Acc/aha Definition

It’s important to mention that the definition of high blood pressure according to the ACC/AHA differs slightly from other professional societies, such as the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension .

The ESC/ESH defines high blood pressure as a systolic blood pressure that is 140 mmHg or higher or a diastolic blood pressure that is 90 mmHg or higher.

The differences in definition are based on results from large studies that examined the link between blood pressure and the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.

What Is The Normal Blood Pressure Range For Adults

Everyone enjoys a little sugar and spice in their lives. Most people suffer from high blood pressure due to an excessive intake of processed food and salty food items. Nobody wants to spend the rest of their life under a restricted diet and consuming tablets! This is why it is critical to control your salt intake and maintain a normal blood pressure range. Your health comes first and it is better to control your diet before it is too late. Here is a brief explanation of the normal blood pressure range and the rest of the ranges for adults and the elderly.

Low blood pressureIf your blood pressure is 90 over 60 mmHg or less, this means that your blood pressure is low. Increase your salt intake and visit a doctor if you suffer from any serious conditions.

Normal blood pressureIf your blood pressure is more than 90 over 60 mmHg and less than 120 over 80 mmHg, you have normal blood pressure. This reading is healthy and ideal. Avoid eating large amounts of processed food and salty food items and you will be in good health.

Slightly above normalIf your blood pressure is more than 90 over 60 mmHg and less than 140 over 90 mmHg, it is a little higher than the normal blood pressure range. Avoid eating salty food items and processed food and lower your blood pressure. Healthy lifestyle changes such as going on morning walks or exercising regularly could go a long way in preventing high blood pressure.

Read Also: Why Is Blood Pressure Higher At Night

What Is Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps blood. When a health care professional measures your blood pressure, they use a blood pressure cuff around your arm that gradually tightens. The results are given in two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, is the pressure caused by your heart contracting and pushing out blood. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.

A blood pressure reading is given as the systolic blood pressure number over the diastolic blood pressure number. Blood pressure levels are classified based on those two numbers.

• Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is systolic blood pressure lower than 90 or diastolic blood pressure lower than 60. If you have low blood pressure, you may feel lightheaded, weak, dizzy, or even faint. It can be caused by not getting enough fluids, blood loss, some medical conditions, or medications, including those prescribed for high blood pressure.
• Normal blood pressure for most adults is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
• Elevated blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure between 120 and 129 with a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
• High blood pressure is defined as 130 or higher for the first number, or 80 or higher for the second number.