Normal Blood Pressure by Age
A common misconception is that there is a different “normal” blood pressure for every adult age. Current adult guidelines use the same basic categories across adulthood, including for people over 70. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg.
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www.heart.org
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Age Normal blood pressure
18–39 Below 120/80
40–59 Below 120/80
60–69 Below 120/80
70–79 Below 120/80
80+ Below 120/80
How to interpret your reading
Normal: <120 / <80
Elevated: 120–129 / <80
Stage 1 hypertension: 130–139 or 80–89
Stage 2 hypertension: ≥140 or ≥90
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www.heart.org
That doesn’t mean every older adult should necessarily have a blood pressure below 120/80 at all times. Treatment targets can be individualized depending on overall health, other medical conditions, medications, and the risk of dizziness or falls.
For children and teenagers, blood pressure is different: it is interpreted using age, sex, and height, rather than the adult chart.
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NHLBI, NIH
If you give me your age and blood-pressure reading (for example, 145/85), I can explain whether it is normal, high, or low and what the numbers mean.
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