How Does Your Age Influence Blood Pressure?

Genetics and lifestyle have a significant influence on blood pressure. Age also affects changes in blood pressure over time. Older individuals who live healthy lifestyles and are blessed with good genetic foundations are likely to experience better blood pressure results when visiting doctors for checkups than their younger counterparts who are overweight, use tobacco and lead sedentary lifestyles. Young people can have high blood pressure for numerous reasons, but seniors may experience blood pressure that progressively elevates as the years go by. Doctors commonly intervene, using medications to prevent the long-term damage that high blood pressure can cause.

It is no secret that the elasticity of skin begins to decline as bodies age. Sagging skin is the bane of aging and a boon to plastic surgeons. Blood vessels also begin to lose elasticity as age increases. They do not sag but rather lose the ability to dilate and contract efficiently. Complex body mechanisms that include coronary output and urine retention and excretion by the kidneys assist in controlling blood pressure along with the dilation and contraction of blood vessels. Compromised elasticity of blood vessels due to aging can cause higher blood pressure.

Another affect on blood pressure associated with aging is the ability of bodies to respond to positional changes quickly. A normally functioning body can quickly respond to rapid body position changes, maintaining adequate blood flow to the head. There are many disease processes, including nerve damage, that can also cause bodies to lose the ability to rapidly respond to body position changes as well. The symptoms experienced usually begin with dizziness upon standing too quickly or rising quickly from bed or from a bent over position. It can get severe enough to cause loss of balance, falls and fainting.

Normally, bodies respond to rapid positional changes by quickly controlling blood flow to the core and extremities to keep blood pressure and volume constant and intact to the head. As bodies lose the ability to respond quickly to rapid position changes, blood volume and pressure drops at the highest point, which is the head, and dizziness and fainting can be a result. Though this can be a concomitant symptom in those with chronic low blood pressure, it can happen in others as well. It can also be caused by blood pressure medications that are lowering blood pressure too much as well as nerve damage from diabetes.

There are many treatments and medications available to help in maintaining proper blood pressure levels as age increases. This is why involvement of a medical doctor is necessary. Low blood pressure may manifest with symptoms such as dizziness, but high blood pressure usually does not have any symptoms at all yet can cause debilitating or life-ending strokes and kidney failure.

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45 thoughts on “How Does Your Age Influence Blood Pressure?”

  1. Today my blood pressure was 106/56. Two days ago I was so dizzy fro the morning till afternoon. I am a 60 year old female. I don’t drink much water and drink lots of sodas. I also have hypothyroidism. Should I be worried?

    1. Your diastolic (56) is too low. You are considered hypotensive.
      Perhaps this was just a ‘blip’…check it again.
      Anything less than 60 is a problem…you should followup with you doc.

      1. Shannon Chenoweth

        You might want to drink water and limit your soda I found this to help a lot filtered water can take getting used too I now drink one soda pop a day and basically lower all processed foods especially the sodium levels in soda can influence your reading on blood pressure coffee too.

  2. I’m taking medicine and my blood pressure was 142/110. Should I be worried I’m done eating anything fried . I cheat every once in a while .

    1. I am 69 and today my blood pressure was 130/60 and the doctor said it was perfect.
      No mention of pre-hypertension ?

      1. It’s in what I guess use to be the pre-hypertension range, but they have since change normal blood pressure range from 120/80 to 130/85 according to this site and others.

        As long as it doesn’t go over 140/90 that it is ok. Your lower number is not bad but docs prefer for it to be above 70. Blood pressure is adaptive meaning that it change with mood, stress, food, exercise. Do it a few times preferable in the morning when you first wake up and late in the evening just before bed to verify consistency, but from my personal opinion it seems to be fine.

  3. Blood pressure went fro 157/96 to 127/95. Have to urinate every 15 min. What’s up? Age 73 female

    1. That’s not ok….at all.. That’s possibly hypertension stage 1. You feel ok because there are no overall symptoms for high blood pressure. That is why it’s known as the silent killer. Please see your doctor.

    2. Sometimes these equipment send out the wrong results. If you are getting consistently high numbers and it concerns you I would recommend you go get it check to bring a peace of mind because worrying about it will keep it High.

      Try deep breathing for 12 breaths and check it again. Anxiety and stress can elevate your blood pressure and make you think you have high blood pressure. I am speaking from experience, but when in question and it concerns you the safest thing to do is consult with your doctor to make sure everything is good. Also, if you have chronic pain this can also elevate your pressure. Hope you get well soon!

    3. Donna.. We are an adaptive species. Do you worry about your dog or cat’s blood pressure? Why not? It’s because they adapt. Humans are an adaptive species too. If your BP is 153/109 and you take some lab created chemical to bring it down, your chances of getting Parkinson’s, having a stroke, Dementia and contracting Alzheimer’s go up 30%. What does our blood do? One is carrying oxygen to your vital organs…like the brain. If your brain says it needs a certain amount of oxygen to survive and you are lowering the amount of oxygen it needs through a chemical use, you are starving it of oxygen.

      Does high BP pressure cause headaches? If it does, then why don’t we see marathon runners, bicycling, football, basketball and soccer players running around saying…I have a headache as every one of them, if you took a reading of their BP, would have BP through the roof. There have been people working out with weights at a gym who had a systolic reading reaching 400. According to many doctors, if our BP reaches 400, we die

      In some countries, who have a longer average lifespan than we do here in the USA believe a reading of 140/80 is hypotension.

      Bottom line, mine is about where yours is on a 10-day average. Try deep breathing if you’re worried. Practice taking 10 secs to fully fill your lungs and 10 secs to empty. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes. Your BP will drop a lot and you’re good for the day and it doesn’t have those dangerous chemicals found in HB meds.

  4. I am 31 male my Blood Pressure comes around 135-144 systolic and diastolic comes around 80-95 is it any problem fluctuations..

  5. I am 67 male. BP 149/80. I take protein powder shake before working out ( four times a week) I’m an active high school instructor. Should I be worried? I consume two glasses of wine every other day and avoid fried foods but indulge in moderate sweets.

  6. When I went to give blood yesterday they almost refused to let me because my blood pressure was low. I told them I always had low blood pressure and exercised a lot too. My heart rate was 60 and temperature 97.7. I have only a small part of my thyroid left and take medication for it. They let me donate and after I got home I looked at the release I signed and my blood pressure was 102/58. I has never been THAT low. Should I go to the doctor right away? Is that dangerously low? I am 70 years old and very fit.

  7. Age 67… normal BP is around 115 – 119, but every so often get lows, last week 89/53 and as always my BS [blood sugar] was 268.. thankfully BP is going up and BS going down…. 1 year ago BP 59/40 and BS around 500 = in Hospital 6 days

  8. Is my BP ok? I am 18 and it is 99/52. I feel ok except after I eat or drink anything I always feel sick at my stomach. Mom says I look pale and aggravates me about going to see the doctor.

  9. Mine is fluctuating alot even when lying down .135/45 then 123/70 then 97/41 . I’m 58 female and have 5 Tick Borne diseases for 5 1/2 years now. My
    heart races every 40 minutes 24 hours a day and I sweat profusely, then chill. Im getting so weak and doctors have no idea to help .

  10. i am 43 years old.and my bp is 138/92. and i was told by a nurse that it’s normal. sometimes, i feel dizzy, feverish and most time i don’t get to sleep well. what advice can you give me?

    1. What does your Cholestorol look like? Check your triglyceride, LDL, and HDL

      LDL + HDL + (triglycerides/5) = total cholesterol.

      My Cholestorol was high and that was some of the symptoms I was getting. In your case it could be something else, but it’s worth a try. High cholesterol was increase blood pressure and ringing in the ear. Once my Cholestorol came down those symptoms went away. Now, what I can’t tell you is if it was the High Cholestorol that made me feel that way, but I can surely say that now that I am feeling better it could of been one of the contributing factors. Get well soon!

  11. 198/98 later was 134/84 only thing that bothers me is all my health conditions along with stress today I fell I don’t remember if it was because I was dizzy or not paying attention I’m completely spacey and chest hurts but Hitial hernia is causing me issues I’m on medication I’m 30 yrs old overweight can’t lose it til my stomach issue get figured out my BP runs everyday and you never know what it’s gonna read

  12. Went to the doctor to get my knee look at and when they checked my blood pressure it was 140/91. I’m 23 years old and work in a carpet mill. Could stress from work raise my blood pressure?

  13. Had mine done yesteeday, result was 120/28 …Dr said this was normal and not a problem … I’m 69yrs old, should I be covcerned, I don’t have any obvious symptoms

  14. I am an 82 year old man. With ankles and legs increasingly red and swollen, I was found to be in congestive heart failure. BP approx 186 over 90.A “BNP” of 1646, with mid-400’s normal.

    They put me on Lasik, which was miraculous. 10 days later, BP is 132/65,
    ankles normal size, overall sense of better health, alertness, etc. Credit also to avoiding salt (substitutes are fine), and cutting down on the the camembert.

  15. Hi I’m 39 just been diagnosed type a diabetic with hypoglycemia. My blood pressure is normally around133-140/73-80 with my pulse been 93 should I go see a doctor or am I fine.

  16. For A Better Tomorrow

    If your blood pressure is high, above 135/95, look up Pressure point therapy, or Acupressure points and spend 1 hour on yourself a day!

  17. My B/P this morning was 113/49, pulse 63. I felt tired, but had enough energy to get my chores done.

    Later, B/P was 108/54, pulse 57. I am 82 years old, had a heart attack in 2019 and given a pacemaker. My visits with Cardiologist showed HBP, and meds were added which I have been on for 3 months.

    For some reason today, my B/P is as stated above and I have no energy at all! Should I go to the ER?

  18. I’m 48 female blood pressure is 206/138 with migraine headaches usually happens once a month during menstral cycle. Is this normal?

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