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Normal Blood Pressure Chart By Age
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is defined by systolic readings of at least 130 mmHg and diastolic readings of at least 80 mmHg, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of 2021, 116 million U.S. Adults have high blood pressure.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?The cause of high blood pressure, or hypertension, is often unknown. It develops over time and often happens as a result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Occasionally, some people have hypertension caused by an underlying condition, such as kidney disease, adrenal gland tumors or thyroid disorders," says Dr. Wong. Other conditions like pregnancy, diabetes and obesity can also increase your risk.
"Some people are susceptible to high blood pressure from certain medications, such as birth control pills, some decongestants and even some over-the-counter pain relievers," says Wong. "Illicit drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines may also raise blood pressure."
High blood pressure is extremely common. A 2017 to 2018 survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics found 45.5% of U.S. Adults have hypertension .
High Blood Pressure SymptomsHigh blood pressure is known as "the silent killer" because it typically has no symptoms. In fact, most people don't even realize they have hypertension until their blood pressure is monitored.
"Symptoms don't develop until the numbers get very high and organs get damaged, often irreversibly," says Dr. Desai.
If you have severe hypertension, you might notice the below symptoms, some of which were reported by patients in a study in the British Journal of General Practice :
"A healthy lifestyle can help prevent some of the damage that can occur with hypertension, as well as help lower blood pressure to some extent," says Dr. Wong. He recommends:
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Take Quiz"Dangers of untreated high blood pressure include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, vision loss, kidney failure, vascular dementia and sexual dysfunction," says Dr. Desai. It's one of the top risk factors for developing atrial fibrillation, which is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide and can lead to stroke, heart failure and reduced quality of life.
Low Blood Pressure (hypotension)
Low blood pressure is a reading of less than 90/60mmHg. It does not always cause symptoms, but you may need treatment if it does.
Symptoms of low blood pressureGet your blood pressure checked if you keep getting symptoms like:
This might mean your blood pressure is too low.
If you get symptoms when you stand up or suddenly change position, you may have a type of low blood pressure called postural hypotension.
How to check your blood pressureYou can check your blood pressure:
Low blood pressure is a measurement of less than 90/60mmHg.
Find out about monitoring your blood pressure at home and choosing a monitor from Blood Pressure UK
Important: Regular blood pressure checkIf you're 40 to 74 years old, you should have your blood pressure checked at least once every 5 years as part of the NHS Health Check.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
If a cause for low blood pressure can be found, a GP will be able to recommend treatment to ease your symptoms.
For example, they may suggest:
Medicine to increase blood pressure is rarely needed because simple lifestyle measures or treating the underlying cause is usually effective.
How to ease low blood pressure symptoms yourselfThere are things you can do to help with symptoms of low blood pressure.
Doget up slowly from sitting to standing
take care when getting out of bed – move slowly from lying to sitting to standing
eat small, frequent meals – lying down or sitting still for a while after eating may also help
increase the amount of water you drink
do not sit or stand for long periods
do not bend down or change posture suddenly
do not drink too much alcohol
Your blood pressure can vary depending on the time of day.
What you're doing and how you're feeling can also affect it.
There are many possible causes of low blood pressure. It may be low because you're fit and healthy, or you may have inherited it from your parents.
Some people develop low blood pressure as they get older.
It can also be caused by:
Page last reviewed: 20 June 2023Next review due: 20 June 2026
Hormone Patches Or Creams For Menopause Symptoms May Have Lower Blood Pressure Risk Than Pills
Women often use hormone therapy to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms — and new research suggests whether they choose pills, patches or creams might matter for their blood pressure
ByLAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer
June 5, 2023, 5:15 AM
FILE - This Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012 photo shows a low-dose estrogen skin patch. Women often use hormone therapy to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms — and new research suggests whether they choose pills, patches or creams might matter for their blood pressure. The findings were published in the journal Hypertension on Monday, June 5, 2023. (AP Photo/File)
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Women often use hormone therapy to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms — and new research suggests patches or creams may be safer for their blood pressure than pills.
As women's bodies produce lower levels of reproductive hormones during menopause their risk for heart disease rises. High blood pressure further increases that risk — but it's not clear whether there's a link with hormone therapy for menopause symptoms.
Canadian researchers wondered if the way hormones are absorbed — orally, vaginally or through the skin -- could play a role.
The University of Calgary team examined health records of more than 112,000 women ages 45 and older who filled prescriptions for at least six months' worth of estrogen-only hormone treatment between 2008 and 2019. They tracked which women went on to develop high blood pressure at least a year after starting treatment.
While the differences weren't huge, women who took estrogen pills had a 14% higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those using skin patches or creams, the researchers reported Monday. Oral estrogen carried a 19% greater risk than vaginal versions.
The findings were published in the journal Hypertension.
Hormone therapy has a mix of risks and benefits that mean it's not for everyone. Today it's prescribed not to prevent disease but to relieve menopause-related symptoms — generally using the lowest possible dose for the shortest time. Most commonly used are combination pills of estrogen and another hormone, progestin. (Estrogen-only pills typically are prescribed to women without a uterus.)
Different versions of hormone therapy may work better for different menopause symptoms, something the study didn't address.
But it adds important clues to understanding the complex relationship between hormone therapy and blood pressure, said Dr. Garima Sharma, a women's heart specialist with Virginia's Inova Health System and the American Heart Association.
Sharma would like to see a more rigorous trial that compares different hormone versions. But she pointed to a possible biological explanation: Maybe oral estrogen affects enzymes linked to blood pressure as it's being processed, while skin and vaginal versions have much more limited activity in the body.
Still, "these findings are very clinically relevant," Sharma said in an an email, and suggest it's especially important to monitor blood pressure in women who use oral hormone therapy.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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