What is normal blood pressure by age? Experts break it down
Be honest, when was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? No, really? The health marker is something many of us gloss over, and it's easy to skim through the years completely unaware of what a normal blood pressure reading should look like, for you.
Getting clued up is important, however. According to the NHS, around 30% of adults in the UK have high blood pressure – also known as hypertension. Half of those cases go untreated at any given time. This, though, comes with serious potential issues. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, strokes, kidney failure and dementia. It may also lead to a lower sex drive.
Low blood pressure, on the other hand – known as hypotension – doesn’t have as many long term health risks. It can, though, leave you feeling faint, dizzy and nauseous. Low blood pressure can sometimes be caused by medications or can be a sign of another health problem.
‘Low blood pressure can sometimes be caused by medications or can be a sign of another health problem,’ Dr Pauline Swift, a nephrologist and chair of Blood Pressure UK tells Women’s Health. ‘It often has no symptoms but can sometimes mean that not enough blood is flowing to your brain or other vital organs.’
So, what is a normal blood pressure reading, and how does it differ by age?
What should my blood pressure be for my age?
As Dr Claire Merrifield, GP and medical director at Selph, explains, ‘normal’ blood pressure is a balancing act. ‘Blood pressure has to be high enough that blood can reach your brain when you’re standing up (a giraffe has one of the highest blood pressures of any mammal), but not so high that it causes damage to your delicate blood vessels,’ she tells WH.
Blood pressure is measured by two numbers, such as 120/80 mmHg (millimetres of mercury). ‘The top or highest number is called the systolic blood pressure and is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is beating,’ explains Merrifield.
‘When the heart relaxes, there’s still pressure in your arteries. This lower pressure is called the diastolic blood pressure. Both numbers are important, and they tend to go together, but there are different reasons for each number being high or low.’
A normal blood pressure level for all adults – no matter your age – is 120/80 mmHg, although this may differ if you have a cardiac or kidney disease or diabetes. However, the actual blood pressure target in the UK, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is 140/90 mmHg when measured in an NHS setting, or 135/85 mmHg when measured at home. For those with cardiac or kidney diseases or diabetes, the NICE target is 130/mmHg.
‘Everyone should get their blood pressure checked; either at home using a home blood pressure monitor, at your local pharmacy or GP,’ says Swift.
‘If your blood pressure is normal, the standard advice is to have it checked every five years. But after you reach age 50, you should have it checked every year. That’s because you’re more likely to develop high blood pressure as you get older.’
What is the normal blood pressure for seniors?
Blood pressure gets higher with age, and it usually happens without symptoms, hence why adults over 50 are encouraged to have theirs checked every year. In women, those ages 65 and over are most likely to have untreated high blood pressure. Still, evidence suggests that, for older adults, the lower the blood pressure the better.
The European Society for Hypertension (ESH) recommends aged 65 to 79 should still aim for at least 130-140 mmHg, as long as they don’t have any underlying conditions.
‘The BP target range for individuals over 80 years old living with high BP is less than 150/90 mmHg, as recommended by NICE,' says Swift. ‘But lower targets (130/80 mmHg) are recommended in the presence of significant chronic kidney disease.’
What is the average blood pressure for a 70-year-old?
Some 25% of women, and 19% of men, over the age of 65 are living with untreated high blood pressure. Generally speaking, people over 70 should aim to keep their blood pressure at 130/80 mmHg.
For this age group, stage one hypertension is anything between 130/80 to 139/89 mmHg, stage two hypertension is 140/90 or higher. Anyone with a reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher should seek medical attention immediately.
Keeping an eye on your blood pressure as you get older is vital. 'If you want to live better for longer, it’s important to regularly check your blood pressure,’ says Merrifielf.
‘If your blood pressure is at or over 120/80, at any age, it’s a good idea to look at what you can do in your lifestyle to reduce it and to speak to your doctor or other healthcare professional if you’re unsure what to do.’
Related stories
Dealing with recurrent UTIs? Here's how experts say you can deal with them
Worried about inflammation? Try these 7 science-backed ways to reduce it
This is why you might get two periods in one month
You Might Also Like
