What Is Good Blood Pressure Reading for Person 68

The definition for what is considered loftier blood force per unit area has been tightened. Here's what you need to know.

If you didn't have high claret pressure earlier, there's a adept risk you practice now.

In 2017, new guidelines from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and nine other wellness organizations lowered the numbers for the diagnosis of hypertension (high claret pressure) to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and higher for all adults. The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/xc 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 equally having hypertension. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered good for you. Why the modify?

Behind the numbers

"Blood pressure guidelines are not updated at regular intervals. Instead, they are changed when sufficient new evidence suggests the old ones weren't accurate or relevant anymore," says Dr. Paul Conlin, an endocrinologist with Harvard-affiliated VA Boston Healthcare Arrangement and Brigham and Women's Infirmary. "The goal now with the new guidelines is to aid people address high claret pressure — and the issues that may accompany it like middle assail and stroke — much before."

The new guidelines stem from the 2017 results of the Systolic Claret Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), which studied more than than 9,000 adults ages 50 and older who had systolic blood force per unit area (the top number in a reading) of 130 mm Hg or higher and at to the lowest degree one chance factor for cardiovascular illness. The report's aim was to notice out whether treating blood pressure to lower the systolic number to 120 mm Hg or less was superior to the standard target of 140 mm Hg or less. The results plant that targeting a systolic pressure of no more 120 mm Hg reduced the gamble of heart attacks, heart failure, or stroke over a 3-year catamenia.

More than blood pressure

The new guidelines have other changes, too. Get-go, they don't offering dissimilar recommendations for people younger or older than historic period 65. "This is because the Sprint study looked at all patients regardless of age and didn't suspension down groups above or below a certain age," says Dr. Conlin.

The guidelines also redefined the various categories of hypertension. It eliminated the category of prehypertension, which had been divers as systolic blood pressure level of 120 to 139 mm Hg or diastolic pressure (the lower number in a reading) of eighty to 89 mm Hg. Instead, people with those readings are now categorized as having either elevated pressure (120 to 129 systolic and less than 80 diastolic) or Phase one hypertension (130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic).

A reading of 140/90 mm Hg or college is considered Stage two hypertension, and anything college than 180/120 mm Hg is hypertensive crunch.

Check your blood pressure at home

The new guidelines note that blood pressure should be measured on a regular ground and encourage people to use domicile blood pressure monitors. Monitors can range from $40 to $100 on average, but your insurance may cover part or all of the cost. Mensurate your blood pressure a few times a week and see your md if you observe whatever meaning changes. Here are some tips on how to choose and apply a monitor.

Choosing

• Select a monitor that goes effectually your upper arm. Wrist and finger monitors are not as precise.
• Select an automated monitor, which has a cuff that inflates itself.
• Look for a digital readout that is big and brilliant enough to see conspicuously.
• Consider a monitor that also plugs into your smartphone to transfer the readings to an app, which then creates a graph of your progress. Some devices can ship readings wirelessly to your phone.

Using

• Avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages 30 minutes beforehand.
• Sit quietly for five minutes with your dorsum supported and your legs uncrossed.
• Support your arm so your elbow is at or near middle level.
• Wrap the cuff over blank pare.
• Don't talk during the measurement.
• Leave the deflated gage in place, wait a minute, then have a second reading. If the readings are shut, average them. If not, repeat once more and average the three readings.
• Go along a record of your blood pressure level readings, including the time of day.

What should you lot practise?

If you had previously been diagnosed with high blood pressure, the new guidelines don't touch on you likewise much, says Dr. Conlin, as yous still demand to continue your efforts to lower it through medication, diet, practise, and weight loss. "Withal, based on new information in the guidelines, your md may propose treating your blood pressure to a lower level," he says.

The larger outcome is that many men ages 65 and older of a sudden observe themselves diagnosed with elevated or high blood pressure, since the new normal is a whopping 20 points lower than earlier. Does this mean an automatic prescription for blood force per unit area drugs? Not necessarily.

"They should consult with their doctor about showtime adjusting lifestyle habits, such every bit getting more exercise, losing weight, and post-obit a middle-salubrious diet like the Dash or Mediterranean diet," says Dr. Conlin.

Medications are recommended to lower blood pressure level in Phase one hypertension if you've already had a center attack or stroke or if your 10-year risk of a heart set on is higher than 10%. (You lot tin can find your ten-year estimation at www.cvriskcalculator.com.) For others with Phase ane hypertension, lifestyle changes solitary are recommended.

"Overall, the new guidelines may aid people go more involved with monitoring their blood force per unit area, which can hopefully forbid complications from hypertension," says Dr. Conlin.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of terminal review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines

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