High Blood Pressure After Age 55

According to the National Institutes of Health, uncontrolled high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. High blood pressure is more common as people age, and it may be controlled by changing personal behaviors and with prescription medications.

Significance

• According to the Centers for Disease Control, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are the first and third-leading causes of death in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health, people age 55 and older have a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure.

Types

• According to the National Institutes of Health, systolic blood pressure is the first number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic blood pressure is the second number in a blood pressure reading. It usually decreases after age 55. High diastolic blood pressure indicates an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Features

• According to the National Institutes of Health, systolic blood pressure increases with age, and it is the most common type of high blood pressure for older Americans.

Considerations

• According to the Mayo Clinic, most people experience a gradual rise in blood pressure as they age, but high blood pressure is not normal at any age.

Misconceptions

• According to the American Nurses Association, a person can have high blood pressure for years and not realize it, even though it is harming the body.

Prevention/Solution

• High blood pressure after age 55 can be treated both by prescription medications and by changing personal behaviors such as increasing exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, reducing salt intake, limiting alcohol, and quitting smoking.

Warning

• According to the National Institutes of Health, high blood pressure that is not controlled may result in heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, or blindness.