Home HealthTopics Health Centers Reference Library Search NetWellnessSearch   Advanced

Senior Health

Normal blood pressure value

03/10/2009

Question:

Dear Expert,

I have a question with regards to the normal value of blood pressure based on age. Normally, for respiratory rate and heart rate, the normal values are different between the new born, children, adult and old people. How about the normal value for blood pressure? What is the normal blood pressure for a new born, a children, an adult and an old people?

I know that old people`s normal blood pressure is higher than that of the adult but I don`t know exactly how high it is if compared to an adult and so does small children.

Answer:

With aging the upper number the 'systolic blood pressure' does go up and plateaus around 75-80 years to a level somewhere between 140 -160 mmHg. There is increased risk of stroke if this number is above 160 mmHg. JNC 7 recommends this number be kept at or below 140 mmHg. Anything above this number of 140 is considered 'Systolic hypertension' if the lower number (diastolic) is normal.

Lower number the 'diastolic blood pressure' actually declines to less than 80 mmHg. Any value above is diastolic or essential hypertension. In this situation often the systolic component is also raised.

For more information:

Go to the Senior Health health topic, where you can:

Response by:

University of Cincinnati Arvind Modawal, MD, MPH, MRCGP
Associate Professor
Department of Family Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Arvind Modawal, MD, MPH, MRCGP