In addition to increasing an elder’s prescription drug costs and compounding the potential for medication mishaps, unnecessary BP medications can cause risky side effects in seniors. "The goal of 150 (when compared to the AHA's target 130) may seem high, but treating to a target of less than 150/90 brings on increased risks and may not offer additional benefits.” In geriatrics, the goal is to balance the likely benefits of a medication with the likely burdens and risks. “The JNC 8 guidelines support what we geriatricians have believed for quite some time: many older adults are taking too much BP medication,” admits Dr. “However, clinical studies have shown that treating high BP is most beneficial when it helps people get their systolic BP down around 150. “We do want to treat high BP, because it reduces the chance that an individual will have a stroke or experience heart problems,” Dr.
Table 2: ACC/AHA 2017 Blood Pressure Thresholds and Targets for Seniors Senior Age Classification 65+ BP Threshold for Pharmaceutical Treatment ≥130/80 mmHg BP Target <130/80 mmHg However, for adults 65 and older who have hypertension combined with other serious comorbidities and/or a limited life expectancy, the ACC/AHA recommends a comprehensive risk/benefit analysis involving both physicians and patients when devising personalized plans of treatment. The treatment goal for this population is less than 130 mmHg. The ACC/AHA report advises pharmaceutical treatment of hypertension for noninstitutionalized ambulatory adults 65 years of age and older who have an average systolic blood pressure over 130 mmHg. In this report, the ACC and AHA advocate more aggressive treatment for hypertension. These are not hard and fast rules, though, because each senior’s health needs are unique.Ī few years after the JNC 8 report, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) published Beyond the 2017 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. The JNC 8 recommendation for patients of any age with diabetes or chronic kidney disease is to aim for BP readings below 140/90 mmHg. The Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) issued new blood pressure guidelines for seniors in 2014 recommending that individuals over age 60 aim for a reading below 150/90 mmHg. Age, frailty and other comorbidities like diabetes and chronic kidney disease complicate this matter even further. While 130/80 mmHg is the generic threshold for starting BP medications, there have been many disagreements among medical professionals regarding the threshold for older adults. The guidelines above are for the general population, but older adults’ health needs and benchmarks differ from those of younger individuals in many ways because our bodies function less efficiently with age. Higher than 120 Blood Pressure Guidelines for Seniors Individuals of any age who have chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes should pay close attention to their BP. Consistent readings in the elevated or “prehypertension” range increase the likelihood that hypertension will develop unless preventative actions are taken. In general, lower numbers are better, but very low BP can also be a cause for concern. For most waking hours, though, BP stays relatively stable and should be lower than 120/80 mmHg. It can also rise when you are excited, nervous or active. For this reading, you would read the blood pressure as “120 over 80.” Blood Pressure Numbers and What They Meanīlood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day, but it is lowest when you are sleeping. Millimeters of mercury (mmHg) is the unit used to measure pressure. For example, a person’s BP reading may be 120/80 mmHg. The systolic pressure is the upper number and the diastolic pressure is the lower number. This is known as the diastolic pressure.īlood pressure is always given in the form of two numbers with one written over the other like a fraction. When the heart is at rest between beats, blood pressure falls.
This pressure is highest when the heart beats, pumping the blood. Blood pressure (BP) is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as it circulates throughout the body.
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