Do you care for an older individual with high blood pressure (hypertension)? Does your parents have hypertension, or do they take medication to control it?
If this is the case, you may wonder what the optimal blood pressure reading should be for your aging loved one.
Keeping a healthy blood pressure is essential at any age, particularly as individuals get older. Since blood transports oxygen and other vital nutrients around the body, measuring blood pressure is a useful indicator of cardiovascular health.
Seventy percent to eighty percent of U.S. adults aged 60 and up have hypertension, per the American Heart Association. Family and friends play a crucial role in assisting the elderly in achieving and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Simple lifestyle changes, like increasing physical activity and consuming healthy, balanced meals, can enable your aging loved one to reduce their blood pressure actively.
Your older parent may benefit from assisted living exercise classes and sodium-reduced menu options. In addition, prescription medications are very effective in lowering blood pressure if lifestyle changes are unsuccessful.
So, let’s take a look at what constitutes a healthy blood pressure range for those 65+ years old and what you can do to assist your loved one in reaching that range.
What is Blood Pressure?
When the heart beats, it pumps blood through the arteries to carry nutrients and oxygen to the body’s cells and organs. Therefore, having a healthy blood pressure measurement is crucial for proper organ function and protection from disease.
Adjustments to blood pressure may be necessary due to age, health, and other reasons. If your blood pressure suddenly increases or decreases, or if it remains either high or low for an extended period of time, see your doctor.
This is due to the fact that it can serve as an indicator of your health and produce substantial repercussions on your health, such as an increased risk of passing away at an earlier age.
A blood pressure monitor that can be used at home is a convenient tool for checking these vital signs. Many home monitors even provide color-coded readings that make it clear whether blood pressure is too high or too low.
Even though many home blood pressure monitors contain features that make it simpler to interpret your readings, it is extremely important to have a solid understanding of what the blood pressure numbers mean. Which ones indicate a normal as opposed to a high reading?
What do The Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
Two numbers make up a blood pressure reading; the top is systolic blood pressure, and the bottom is diastolic blood pressure.
How do You Define Systolic Blood Pressure?
This is your systolic blood pressure reading when your blood presses against the artery walls during a heartbeat. Every time our hearts beat, there is a corresponding change in the pressure within our arteries.
Increased pressure results from the heart’s contractions, which force more blood into the body’s veins and arteries. Systolic blood pressure is used to quantify this improvement.
How do You Define Diastolic Blood Pressure?
Diastolic pressure is the most accurate indicator of overall system pressure since it is taken while the heart is at rest. During the systolic phase of a heartbeat, a person’s blood pressure will reach its maximum level. At the same time, it drops to its lowest level during the diastolic phase when the heart temporarily rests in between beats.
What is Considered Normal Blood Pressure?
A reading of normal blood pressure indicates that the heart and arteries are not exerting too much effort to push blood and that the blood is not imposing an undue strain on the vessel walls.
The American Heart Association has recently determined that a blood pressure level of 120 over 80 is not ideal for anyone over 20.
Gender, age, race, and ethnicity can all cause variations in blood pressure readings. It is important to remember that they must all be within the normal range.
Blood pressure readings below 120/80 are typically regarded as healthy, but of course, we have to also take into consideration readings that may be considered too low.. The optimal range for treatment might change for people of different ages (such as those who are deemed elderly) and those who have additional medical conditions.
Blood Pressure Range For The Elderly
The optimum range for blood pressure in the elderly varies between medical associations.
Men and women aged 65 and over are encouraged to maintain a blood pressure reading of less than 130/80 mm Hg, per 2017 guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA).
| Category of Blood Pressure for adults 65+ | Systolic (mmHg) | Diastolic (mmHg) |
| Low blood pressure or hypotension | 90 or lower | 60 or less |
| Normal blood pressure | Less than 120 | Less than 80 |
| Elevated blood pressure | 120 to 129 | Less than 80 |
| High blood pressure (stage I) | 130 to 139 | 80 to 89 |
| High blood pressure (stage II) | 140 or higher | 90 or higher |
| Hypertension or high blood pressure crisis | 180 or higher | 120 or higher |
Lifestyle adjustments, such as getting more exercise, consuming a heart-healthy diet low in sodium, and cutting back on alcohol, can help manage blood pressure in older persons with more than 130 over 80.
The onset of stage 1 hypertension occurs when a senior’s blood pressure has steadily risen over a long period. With further growth, the older population will enter stage 2.
The older population faces a high blood pressure crisis if the current trend of rising blood pressure persists. Prior guidelines suggested a blood pressure reading of 150/80 mm Hg as the cut-off for prescribing medication to treat hypertension in persons 65 and older.
The goal of this adjustment is to lessen the likelihood of heart disease in the elderly. Your loved one’s doctor will evaluate your aging parent’s overall health—any existing conditions to determine the most effective strategy for blood pressure control.
Since blood pressure typically rises with age, some medical groups dispute the efficacy and safety of treating older patients for hypertension. A blood pressure result of 90/60 mm Hg or lower is regarded as dangerously low (hypotension) for people aged 65 and over. Falls and dizziness are both exacerbated by hypotension.
Why Does Blood Pressure Increase With Age?
This is due to the pressure that the blood exerts against the artery wall as it flows through the body. This is because of the pressure exerted by the blood against the arterial wall. Arteries can constrict and harden with age.
Reduced blood flow and the subsequent elevation of blood pressure result from narrow arteries. Both the arterial walls and the heart are vulnerable to injury from hypertension.
Some people develop hypertension because of their way of life, their surroundings, their medicines, or medical illnesses, including sleep apnea, renal disease, or thyroid issues.
Risks And Treatment Options
If your blood pressure keeps going up, you could be putting your health at risk. Your doctor is likely to reply in one of the following ways:
1. Elevated
If you don’t control your blood pressure, hypertension will likely develop in you. These could involve modifying one’s way of life, like consuming a heart-healthy diet, exercising more, and giving up smoking.
2. First-Stage Hypertension
Most likely, a lifestyle change is something your doctor will recommend. They may also recommend medication based on your risk for heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke.
3. Stage 2 Hypertension
To lower your blood pressure, your doctor recommends medication and lifestyle modifications.
4. Hypertensive Crisis
When your blood pressure is this high, seek medical assistance immediately. You might have a heart attack, a stroke, or another condition that could harm your organs or put your life in danger.
How to Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure For Seniors?
Lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medicines can effectively reduce blood pressure. If you have other health issues, such as diabetes, your doctor will need to monitor your progress and discuss possible adjustments to your treatment plan often.
Modifying your way of life in the following methods can help you avoid or control high blood pressure:
1. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Extra weight increases the danger of hypertension. See whether your doctor agrees that you need to cut back on calories. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, you should make sure your caloric intake is the same as your energy expenditure each day.
2. Exercise
High blood pressure can be lowered with moderate exercise like walking or swimming. Determine your starting point for safe exercise and gradually work your way up to exercising at least 2.5 hours every week. If you have a health condition that isn’t being treated, you should talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise routine.
3. Follow a Diet Low in Saturated Fat And Cholesterol
Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) recommend a diet rich in veggies, fruits, grains, protein, dairy, and oils to reduce blood pressure.
4. Decrease Your Sodium Intake
Salt (sodium), which is included in many processed and prepared foods, can negatively impact your body’s health and blood pressure as you age. Therefore, you could reduce your daily salt intake. The DASH eating plan emphasizes reducing sodium intake.
5. Lower Your Alcohol Consumption
One’s blood pressure may rise or fall from consuming alcohol. Therefore, alcoholics should consume no more than two drinks daily (two for men and one for women) to lower their risk of hypertension.
6. Avoid Smoking
Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, among other health issues. Therefore, you should give up smoking. Speak with your doctor regarding a plan to help with quitting this habit. It doesn’t matter how old you are; you can still reap the health benefits of quitting.
7. Get a Decent Night’s Sleep
Do inform your doctor if you have ever been told that you snore or appear to stop breathing while sleeping. The condition of sleep apnea may be the cause of this. In addition, blood pressure can be lowered by addressing sleep apnea and receiving a good night’s sleep.
8. Manage Stress
Managing one’s emotions and stress healthily has been shown to reduce hypertension.
Summary
While hypertension is more common as people age, it is preventable with measures such as maintaining a healthy weight. Exercising regularly and not smoking (high blood pressure) are suitable measures for controlling hypertension.
If you want to keep your health in control, it’s a good idea to understand how to monitor your blood pressure and see your doctor regularly to check it.
To help lower your blood pressure to a healthy range, your doctor may suggest a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Isolated systolic hypertension is the most common kind of hypertension in the elderly, and it is treated in the same way as regular hypertension. However, more than one blood pressure drug may be required.
Finding the right treatment for your condition may require experimenting with multiple drugs or combinations. For example, blood pressure medication can help you manage your condition but will not eliminate it. Taking hypertension medication as prescribed by your doctor may be something you have to do indefinitely.
References
- https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/normal-blood-pressure-chart-by-age/
- https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/blood-pressure-by-age
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/average-blood-pressure-by-age-5085328
- https://frontiermgmt.com/blog/elderly-blood-pressure-chart-whats-normal/
- https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/new-blood-pressure-guidelines-mean-older-adults/
- https://www.vivehealth.com/blogs/resources/understanding-blood-pressure
- https://www.healthxchange.sg/high-blood-pressure/essential-guide-to-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-BP-reading
- https://www.medicinenet.com/blood_pressure_chart_reading_by_age/article.htm
- https://www.godigit.com/health-insurance/diseases/blood-pressure/blood-pressure-range
