Your Blood Pressure Depends on Your Age

A high blood pressure is not something to mess around with. It is a life-threatening issue and it affects the way the body functions, on the overall. From here to a heart attack, to a kidney failure or other illnesses is just a step. Now, you probably understand why most of the doctors will turn to aggressive treatment methods when it comes to hypertension.

Every treatment is different for every person, depending on their age, weight, family history, and many other factors. A 50-year old man will get a different treatment from the 80-year-old one.

Diagnosing hypertension

The process of diagnosing a person should start when that person is 20 years old. The American Heart Association recommends that every young person should check his/her blood pressure during their regular healthcare visit. This is a rule that can be applied only for those whose blood pressure level is under 120/80 mm Hg.

The course of the blood pressure is quite simple: it rises with the heartbeats and it lowers between the beats. It can vary according to multiple factors such as the body posture, the level of stress, physical activity or sleep.

The adults who are in their 20s should have a normal blood pressure of approximately 120/80 mm Hg. In the US, only 1 of 3 young people has it. For those over 40, the average blood pressure should be around 129/85 mm Hg, and for the individuals over 60 years old, the normal blood pressure is approx. 134/87 mm Hg.

If a patient’s blood pressure is higher than it should be, the doctor will perform more readings for a period, but he will also ask the patient to monitor his blood pressure at home.

If a blood pressure has a level of 140/90 mm Hg or higher, the doctor will start a treatment program immediately. What will such a program include? A change in the lifestyle and the diet, along with an established set of medication for those whose blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mm Hg.

If you take your blood pressure and see that the systolic value is 180 mm Hg while the diastolic value is 110 mm Hg, you should rest for a few minutes and then take your blood pressure again. If it is still very high, you should seek specialized medical treatment immediately. Go to the hospital or ask someone to take you there. Call an ambulance if the situation asks for it.

If you have just taken your blood pressure after reading this article and you see that it is within normal limits, do not settle. Make changes in your lifestyle. Make sure that the diet you are on is a healthy one and that your lifestyle, on the overall, is a healthy one. This way, you will be able to increase the protection of your health and prevent hypertension. This change will not have anything but a positive impact on your health.