The criteria for what constitutes high blood pressure chart by age have become more stringent. What you should know is as follows.
There’s a strong probability that you now have high blood pressure if you didn’t before.
The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and nine other health organizations revised their recommendations in 2017 to decrease the threshold for diagnosing hypertension (high blood pressure) in adults to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher. The point was formally established at 140/90 mm Hg for those under 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those 65 and over.
Thus, the prevalence of hypertension in males 55 and older has increased from 70% to 79%. Many of those guys had previously been thought to have good blood pressure. Why the alteration?
In-Between The Numbers
Guidelines for blood pressure are kept the same regularly. According to Dr. Paul Conlin, an endocrinologist at the Harvard-affiliated VA Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, “instead, they are alter when sufficient new evidence reveals the prior ones weren’t true or relevant anymore. With the new recommendations, it is hoped that individuals would manage high blood pressure — and its complications like heart attacks and stroke — far sooner.
The 2017 findings of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), which examined over 9,000 adults aged 50 and older with systolic blood pressure chart by age (the top number in a reading) of 130 mm Hg or higher and at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor, led to the development of the new guidelines. The research aimed to determine if lowering blood pressure to a systolic value of 120 mm Hg or less was preferable to the conventional goal of 140 mm Hg or less. According to the findings, aiming for a systolic pressure of no more than 120 mm Hg for three years decreased the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, or stroke.
In Addition To Blood Pressure Chart By Age
There are more adjustments in the new regulations. First, they only make the same guidelines for those younger or older than 65. “This is because the SPRINT study looked at all patients regardless of age and didn’t break down groups above or below a certain age,” explains Dr. Conlin.
The recommendations also clarified the different classifications of hypertension. Prehypertension was no longer classified as having a systolic blood pressure chart by age measurement between 120 and 139 mm Hg or a diastolic reading between 80 and 89 mm Hg (the lowest number in a task). These values are now classified as Stage 1 hypertension (130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic) or high pressure (120 to 129 systolic and fewer than 80 diastolic).
Stage 2 hypertension is a reading of 140/90 mm Hg or above, while hypertensive crisis is a value of 180/120 mm Hg or higher.
At Home, Check Your Blood Pressure
The updated recommendations stress the need for regular blood pressure chart by age checks and promote the use of at-home blood pressure monitors. On average, monitors cost between $40 and $100, although your insurance may pay all or part of the price. Check your blood pressure a few times a week, and if you detect any substantial changes, call your doctor. Here are some pointers on selecting and using a monitor.
Choosing a monitor that fits around your upper arm is best. Finger and wrist monitors need to be more accurate.
Choose a monitor that is automate and has an auto-inflating cuff.
Look for a big, bright digital readout that is easy to view.
Consider a monitor that can send measurements to an app on your smartphone, then plot your progress on a graph. Some gadgets can wirelessly transmit readings to your phone.
How to Measure
Thirty minutes before, abstain from alcohol and caffeine.
Sit quietly for five minutes with your back supported and your legs uncrossed.
Hold your arm up so the elbow is at or below heart level.
Put the cuff over any exposed skin.
Stay quiet during the measurement.
Wear the deflated cuff, wait a minute, and then take another reading. Average the readings if they are near. If not, repeat one and take the average of the three values.
Record your blood pressure chart by age measurements and the time of day in a log.
What Should You Do?
According to Dr. Conlin, if you already have high blood pressure, the new recommendations will have a negligible impact since you still need to keep up your efforts to decrease it with medicine, a healthy diet, exercise, and weight reduction. “However, based on new information in the guidelines, your doctor may propose treating your blood pressure to a lower level,” he adds.
The bigger problem is that because the new normal is a stunning 20 points lower than the previous standard, many men in their 65s and older are unexpectedly diagnose with raise or high blood pressure. Does this imply that blood pressure chart by age medication will be prescribe automatically? No, not always.
According to Dr. Conlin, patients should alter their lifestyle by engaging in increased physical activity, lowering weight, and adhering to a heart-healthy diet like the DASH or Mediterranean diet.
If you’ve previously had a heart attack stroke, or if your 10-year risk of a heart attack is more than 10%, medication to decrease blood pressure in Stage 1 hypertension is advise. (Your 10-year estimate may be found at www.cvriskcalculator.com.) Others with Stage 1 hypertension are advise to make lifestyle modifications.
According to Dr. Conlin, the new recommendations may encourage patients to check their blood pressure chart by age more often, which should assist in avoiding the consequences of hypertension.