Have a family history of high blood pressure.Drink too much alcohol (more than 1 drink per day for women and more than 2 drinks per day for men).You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if you: High blood pressure increases your chance of having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, or early death. When that happens, your blood pressure goes up. This is because your blood vessels become stiffer as you age. You are more likely to be told your blood pressure is too high as you get older. The condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels.The amount of water and salt you have in your body.Many factors can affect blood pressure, including: If you have heart or kidney problems, or you had a stroke, your doctor may want your blood pressure to be even lower than that of people who do not have these conditions. If the top blood pressure number is from 120 to 129 mm Hg, and the bottom blood pressure number is less than 80 mm Hg, it is called elevated blood pressure.High blood pressure (hypertension) is when one or both of your blood pressure readings are 130/80 mm Hg or higher most of the time.Normal blood pressure is when your blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mm Hg most of the time.(Note: These numbers apply to people who are not taking medicines for blood pressure and who are not ill.) One or both of these numbers can be too high. For example, 120 over 80 (written as 120/80 mm Hg).

The bottom number is called diastolic blood pressure. The top number is called systolic blood pressure. These include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, eye problems, and other health issues.īlood pressure readings are given as two numbers. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to many medical problems. Hypertension is the medical term used to describe high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body.

High blood pressure chart for seniors