Blood pressure is one of the most commonly used parameters to assess the health status of individuals. An abnormal blood pressure reading almost always suggests the most probable disorder that a person may be having.
By definition, blood pressure is the amount of pressure exerted by the flowing blood against blood vessel walls. The upper gradient of blood pressure measurement is called the Systolic Blood Pressure and the lower gradient is called the Diastolic Blood Pressure.
The standard unit for measurement of blood pressure is mm of Hg. The device used to check blood pressure is called a Sphygmomanometer.
Blood pressure varies from person to person and it can also vary at different times in the same person. This variability can sometimes occur due to fault in the blood pressure apparatus or an error in checking the blood pressure.
Blood pressure category | Systolic (mm of Hg) | Dystolic (mm of Hg) |
Low blood pressure | Less than 90 | Less than 60 |
Normal blood pressure | 90 – 120 | 60 – 80 |
Pre-hypertension | 120 – 139 | 80 – 90 |
Stage-I Hypertension | 140 – 159 | 90 – 99 |
Stage-II Hypertension | 160 or more | 100 or more |
Hypertension crisis | 180 or more | 110 or more |
(Read: Foods Not To Eat For High Blood Pressure)
Age group | Normal Range For Systolic Blood Pressure (mm of Hg) | Normal Range For Diastolic Blood Pressure (mm of Hg) |
50 – 54 years | 116 – 142 | 81 – 89 |
55 – 59 years | 118 – 144 | 82 – 90 |
60 – 64 years | 121 – 147 | 83 – 91 |
65 – 69 years | 139 – 151 | 71 – 80 |
70 – 74 years | 137 – 160 | 73 – 83 |
75 – 79 years | 154 – 166 | 80 – 87 |
Over 80 years | 147 – 162 | 60 – 90 |
This table above shows ranges for normal blood pressure for men over 50 years of age. It is clear from the table that blood pressure rises after the age of 60 years and peaks at about 75-89 years and gradually reduces thereafter.
A lot of debates have surfaced in recent times regarding considering treatment of hypertension in men over 80 years of age. An index of blood pressure in men over 80 years of 150/90 mm of Hg or more was presumed to be liable for treatment.
(Read: How To Understand Blood Pressure Readings)
Although it is difficult to modify certain influencing factors like family history, ethnicity, increasing age, gender and other co-morbidities. It is always possible to take certain steps to keep up a healthy lifestyle which will in turn maintain regular blood pressure levels.
The Following Measures Can Be Taken To Manage And Prevent High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure accelerates the processes of atherosclerosis within blood vessels. High blood pressure is often an indicator of major disorders – stroke, ischemic heart disease, coronary artery diseases and renal disorders to summarize.
Hypertension has emerged to become one of the most commonly occurring lifestyle disorders. High blood pressure is associated with potential disease outcomes. A surprising estimate of 7.1 million deaths and 64.3million disabilities occur annually worldwide due to non-optimal blood pressure.
Statistics also reveal that hypertension is a major contributing factor in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases. This is the reason to have a normal blood pressure in men over 50 years. High blood pressure must be considered a serious defect in the economy and appropriate consultation should be sought for the same.
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Himanshi is a Homoeopathic consultant and currently working as a lecturer in Post-graduate faculty of Homeopathy, Parul University, Vadodara. Completed BHMS and MD in Homeopathy in January 2018 and also has a clinical experience of about 6 years. Personal interests include reading, spending time with family and traveling.
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