Have you been concerned about high blood pressure (hypertension)? Or are you worried about an older relative having a stroke or heart attacks?
You’re not alone. After all, hypertension is the most common chronic condition among older adults, and medications for blood pressure (BP) are among the most commonly taken drugs in the US.
Even more important: poorly controlled hypertension is a major contributor to the most common causes of death and disability in older adults: strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure.
So it’s certainly sensible for older adults – and for those helping aging parents – to think about blood pressure.
And once you start thinking about high blood pressure, you’ll probably start to wonder.
Are the blood pressure medications you’re taking enough? Is your blood pressure at the “right” level or should you and your doctors work on changing things?
And what about that major research – the SPRINT trial — that made the news in 2015? (In this study, older adults randomized to aim for a lower BP did better than those who got “standard” BP treatment.)
These are excellent questions to ask, so I’d like to help you answer them.
Now, I can’t provide exact answers on the Internet. But what I can do is provide a sensible process that will help you successfully address these questions.
In this article, I’ll share with you the process that I use to:
- Assess an older person’s blood pressure management plan, and
- Determine whether we should attempt changes.
If you’re an older adult, you can use this approach to get started assessing your own BP management plan. This will help you to better work with your doctors on assessing and managing your blood pressure.
If you are helping an older relative manage health, you can follow these steps on behalf of your relative.
But first, let’s review a few key terms related to blood pressure.
Key terms about blood pressure and hypertension:
- Systolic blood pressure (SBP): the “top number” when BP is checked. This reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart squeezes. It’s by far the most important number to consider when it comes to older adults.
- Diastolic blood pressure (DBP): the “lower number” when BP is checked. This reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes.
- Pulse: the heart rate. Automatic BP monitors report pulse along with BP. Doctors must evaluate a person’s heart rate when considering a change in BP medication.
- Hypertension: Usually defined as BP> 140/90, assuming the readings are taken in a doctor’s office. (There is a slightly lower cut-off if the readings are taken at home.) If only the systolic BP is high, this is called “isolated systolic hypertension.” This type of hypertension is very common in older adults, as aging is associated with both increases in systolic BP and decreases in diastolic BP.
How to better measure blood pressure
As you can imagine, a key component of optimizing BP management is to measure an older person’s BP and pulse.
Measuring BP allows us to:
- Diagnose people with hypertension,
- Determine how severe it is (which helps us all decide how important it is to intervene),
- Evaluate how well people are responding to a treatment plan, whether that plan involves lifestyle changes or medication or both.
Measuring BP usually sounds straightforward.
People assume it’s just a matter of finding out what the BP was at the doctor’s office, or getting a reading from a home monitor, or maybe even a reading from a health fair or drugstore.
But in fact, research has shown that a single office-based BP reading often does not represent a person’s usual BP. One study even found that the “usual” way of measuring BP misdiagnosed 24-32% of volunteers!
This is because people are often anxious when at the doctor’s office, which can temporarily raise BP. Studies estimate this “white-coat hypertension” affects 10-20% of people.
Furthermore, BP is constantly changing a bit, moment to moment. So experts agree that it’s much better to obtain several readings and average them, in order to properly assess a person’s usual BP.
For instance, in the ground-breaking SPRINT trial of intensive BP lowering in older adults, the researchers checked BP by having participants first rest quietly in a room for five minutes. Then an automatic monitor checked BP three times in a row, with a one-minute interval between each check. The average of these three readings was then used to assess BP and make changes to hypertension medications, if necessary.
As you can imagine, this is not the way most people’s blood pressure is measured by their doctors.
So what’s better?
Currently, the “gold standard” for evaluating blood pressure is called “ambulatory blood pressure monitoring” (ABPM). It involves wearing a special monitor that checks BP every 15-60 minutes over 24 hours. The doctors then receive a report showing the average daytime BP and average nighttime BP.
Such monitoring provides excellent information for patients and doctors. In fact, research shows that ABPM is a better predictor of future cardiovascular events (e.g. heart attacks, strokes) than conventional office-based BP measurements are. However, ABPM is not yet widely available, since it requires special equipment and may not be covered by insurance.
So what is considered next best? Research shows that home BP measurements are better than “usual-care” office BP measurements. Meaning, home BP measurements correlate better to the BP that is measured if one uses the fancy 24-hour ambulatory monitoring approach.
Based on these facts, in 2008 the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association issued a joint scientific statement calling for home BP measurements to become a routine component of BP measurement in people with known or suspected hypertension.
They also suggested that clinicians review a week’s worth of home BP readings before making a clinical decision or changing a person’s medications.
(You can read the whole scientific statement, titled Call to Action on Use and Reimbursement for Home Blood Pressure Monitoring for free! I especially recommend reading the abstract at the beginning, which summarizes the proven benefits of home blood pressure monitoring. You can also read the American Heart Association’s 2017 guidelines on measuring blood pressure at home here, in section 4.)
Now that I’ve made the case for checking BP carefully at home, let me share the six-step process you can use to assess your blood pressure management plan.
A 6 step process for assessing a blood pressure management plan
1.Obtain a high-quality home blood pressure monitor.
Why: Studies have found that home-based measurements are better than office-based BP measurements. They better reflect a person’s BP over 24 hours.
Notes: See “Choosing & Using a Home Blood Pressure Monitor” for more details on choosing a monitor, and why I recommend a monitor such as the Omron 786N.
2. Check blood pressure twice a day, every day for one week.
Why: Since blood pressure is constantly changing a bit — or sometimes a lot — in the body, checking several days in a row means that you’ll have several readings that can be averaged.
Aim to check at the same times every day. An average of several daily readings provides a more accurate picture of a person’s BP.
Checking in the morning and evening is recommended by many experts. This is because BP can vary during the day, especially in people who are taking BP medications. But if checking twice a day seems too hard, just check once a day.
Experts also often say to check BP in the morning before any medications are taken. However, if there have been any concerns about falls, I like to review readings taken about an hour after medication. This is because I want to make sure the BP isn’t falling too low when a person takes their medication.
Optional but helpful: Use a “three measurements in a row” technique if possible. The SPRINT trial measured BP by letting participants rest quietly for five minutes, and then having the monitor check the BP three times in a row, with a one minute pause between each check. Those three readings were then averaged into a reading for the day.
Some home blood pressure monitors (such as the Omron 786N) have a feature that makes this easy to do; Omron calls this feature “TruRead.”
3. Make an up-to-date list of all current medications.
Why: Your doctors will need to know exactly what medications you are taking, in order to evaluate your blood pressure treatment plan.
Notes:
- Start by listing those for heart or BP.
- But list all others, because some medications that are not prescribed for BP can still affect BP (such as Flomax, which can be used to improve urination when a man has an enlarged prostate).
- Also list all supplements, vitamins, herbs, and over-the-counter medications.
- Be sure to note if any medication is not being taken exactly as prescribed. It’s especially important for the doctors to know if an older person has been skipping any of the medications that affect BP.
- Note any concerns about side-effects, cost, or other concerns related to continuing the medication.
4. List the lifestyle approaches to lowering BP that you are following (or interested in).
Why: Although prescription medications are the main way doctors often try to treat hypertension, many lifestyle changes have been shown to help lower BP as well.
You’ll want to let your doctor know which of these you are using. Also let your doctor know if you’d be interested in incorporating any of these into your BP management plan.
Many of these lifestyle changes are great for older adults, because they benefit health in many ways but have fewer risks than taking prescription medication.
Note: Proven approaches to lower high blood pressure include:
- Weight loss
- Exercise
- The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet
- Reducing sodium (salt) intake, especially in people who seem to be salt-sensitive
- Not smoking
5. Make an appointment to discuss blood pressure management with your usual doctor.
Why: Your doctor can help you identify a good target blood pressure goal, and can help you develop a plan to reach that goal. Be sure to bring up any concerns regarding falls, or other potential side-effects of treatment.
Notes:
- Bring in your home BP readings and your up-to-date medication list.
- Consider asking the doctor to check BP sitting and standing, especially if you’ve had any concerns about falls
- Ask your doctor what target BP goal they recommend for you, given your health history.
- Research indicates that the biggest benefit is in getting systolic BP down to the 140s. A systolic BP target goal of <150 is a good starting place for most older adults, as recommended by major guidelines in 2013 and also by more recent high blood pressure guidelines issued in 2017.
- Results from SPRINT suggest that if you’re similar to the SPRINT participants, you may experience additional benefits by aiming for a systolic BP close to 120. If you’re considering this, be sure to read my article explaining SPRINT and related research, so that you’ll have a clear understanding of how likely you are to benefit (at best, an estimated 1 in 27 chance based on the research) and what are the risks and burdens.
- Ask your doctor about taking most (or maybe even all) of your BP medications at night.
- A randomized trial published in 2019 found that taking BP medications at bedtime (rather than in the morning) resulted in lower ambulatory blood pressure readings and fewer cardiovascular events!
- Taking BP medications at night is likely to be a simple way to help them be more effective. For more on taking blood pressure medication at night, see this Harvard Heart Letter: Is nighttime the right time for blood pressure drugs?
6. Plan to follow-up on any changes to the plan.
Why: Whatever you and your doctors decide to do, you’ll want to make a plan for seeing how your blood pressure responds to the changes.
Note: Remember that experts say a week’s worth of home BP monitoring is more accurate than a follow-up BP check in the office.
Be sure to ask your doctor to specify:
- When should you undertake this home monitoring? (Most BP medications will take their full effect within 1 week. Lifestyle changes will take weeks to months to have an effect.)
- When will you be meeting — by phone or in person — to discuss the results of the follow-up BP monitoring?
- What level of high (or low) BP should trigger a call to the office?
And that’s it!
Make the effort
Now, this approach is more work than usual. It takes a little more time and effort than just going to your doctor and having them check your blood pressure.
But the benefits make this time well spent. Think about it.
You and your doctor get a more accurate picture of what is going on inside your body.
You get to help create a blood pressure management plan that is just right for you.
You may even help prevent some serious health problems. Like a heart attack or stroke, or a serious fall due to incorrect medication.
No one likes the thought of letting a chronic condition get dangerously out of control. And no one likes to take more medication than they need to.
You can help keep this from happening.
Just follow this process for assessing a blood pressure management plan, and you’ll be on your way to confirming that you’re following a blood pressure management plan that’s right for you, or for your older parent.
This article was last reviewed and updated on 3/6/20. (Don’t miss the new recommendation to try BP medications at bedtime!)
I found this very helpful for high blood pressure.
What is considered as low.
regards
Dawn
What is considered low depends a bit on the person, their medical history, and the particular circumstances. It is also important to compare a person’s blood pressure to his or her “usual blood pressure.” A SBP of 102 is different in a young woman who usually has SBP 100-105, compared to an older person who has historically registered SBPs of 130-150.
In other words, context is very important when it comes to low blood pressure.
A systolic number less than 90 is almost always considered low. For older adults on BP medication, I don’t like to see their SBP less than 120, especially if there have been concerns about falls.
Certain chronic health conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, are associated with low blood pressure.
You can learn more from the Mayo Clinic here: Low Blood Pressure.
My BP was perfect until I turned 50 then it shot up. 2 mg of Coversyl has kept it in check but after feeling a bit of wooziness and chest pain I checked and it was 180/80. It dropped later on to 145/85. I am now 56 years old. I doubled the dose to 4 mg on advice of my doctor but it is still in the 150/80 range. I’ll try moving meds to night. I cut out alcohol, caffeine and cut way back on salt.
My question is this. With everyone staying home in self isolation, myself included, could the lack of sun, lack of exercise, lack of fresh fruit and vegetables (impossible to find these days) and constant sitting in front of a computer be contributing to the sudden spike? I have decided to start a 45 minute daily exercise bike regimen.
What else can be done? My doctor is only doing phone consultations, blood tests are not being done and you couldn’t pay me enough to go to an emergency room in this crisis.
Lifestyle patterns including exercise, healthy eating, weight control and stress management are very important to blood pressure management.
The recommended restrictions on activity and going out have caused many of us to change our routines, so recommitting to exercise and healthy eating is a great idea. I don’t think lack of sunlight or fresh fruit would have a big impact though. Most of the canned and frozen vegetables and fruits are just as nutritious as fresh items.
Most doctors are still providing phone consultations as you mention, and as your doctor knows your entire health history, they are in a better position to provide medical advice specific to your situation.
I tried all of the above, including weight loss and regular exercise. I even got my doctor to double my Lisinopril dosis from 20 to 40 mg a day. Nothing worked. Of course, I am 81 and diabetic (2). So I guess nothing will help my Systolic (160) to reach safer levels and I wished Leslie would indicate that for us the elderly there is really nothing to help us. So I’ll continue suffering constant headaches due to High Systolic.
Hi Jacques and congratulations on your commitment to weight loss and exercise! For some people, a more modest systolic BP target is reasonable, you can read more about it in Dr. Kernsian’s article about the SPRINT trials.
I would also add that salt restriction in a person’s diet can also be helpful for BP management, and some older adults need more than one medication to reach a target that is healthy for them.
Finally, the connection between headache and high blood pressure is complex, and you can read more about it here.
I’m really finding the information helpful. I am almost 64. Does this make me an “older adult”? Thx
Good question! At 64 you are certainly older than when you were 50, and your healthcare should probably be a little different.
Although geriatricians almost never care for people in their 60s, much of our knowledge base on modifying healthcare as people age is relevant from the sixties onwards.
For instance, when people are in their sixties, it’s usually reasonable to be careful about medications that can affect thinking and memory. It also becomes more important to be careful about medications that can affect the kidneys, and the body becomes more vulnerable to side-effects in general.
Glad you are finding the info helpful!
Doc, good evening here in the Philippines. I’m also a hypertensive person of 180/110 before. I’m taking my maintenance everyday losartan potassium hydrochorothiazide prescribed by my cardiologist. My SBP 100 DBP 70. I fell dizziness sometimes but I’m used to it. I think it’s the side effect for my medicine for 2 yrs. now of taking.
Well, I can’t tell you what to do, but I will say that an SBP of 100 sounds low to me. You may want to talk to your cardiologist to discuss what a suitable goal is for you. For many older adults, relaxing BP control so that SBP is 120-130 would be reasonable, and might reduce your dizziness. Good luck!
one of the best reviews of handling hypertension in the older population I tend to interact with as a patient advocate in San Miguel de Allende Mexico
I love your blog…use it a lot in postings where it gets a lot of views.
thanks for your hard work.
Thank you, I’m glad you find this useful.
You didn’t mention alcohol consumption and bp. Is moderate use a problem for bp?
Alcohol can be tricky, with some observational studies linking moderate alcohol use to improved health outcomes and other studies questioning this.
(Moderate alcohol use is often defined as one drink/day for women and up to 2 drinks/day for men.)
Studies have also found that high alcohol intake is associated with higher BP. In terms of moderate intake, a recent systematic review found that reducing alcohol improved BP in those with higher intake of alcohol but not in people who drank two or fewer drinks per day.
The effect of a reduction in alcohol consumption on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
wow, this working aging editor finds you a remarkably thorough, diligent, measured medical writer, and clear (and responsive!) to boot
Thank you so much for this very kind comment, I appreciate it!
I’m 49 and experiencing some headache and high bp. What are some remedies to down bps to its normal?
It sounds like you’re wondering about remedies for high blood pressure? I’m not aware that any “home remedies” have been proven to be effective in lowering blood pressure, but we do recommend lifestyle changes like following a healthy, low-salt diet, exercise, quitting smoking, weight loss, and stress reduction as a first step in managing high blood pressure. For some people, medication is also needed and it’s best to talk to a doctor about that.
So true! What a resource Dr. K is!
I’m concerned about my mother who is 96 1/2. her blood pressure was 120/72, yet I think it should be higher because she has had a fractured hip and then fell again–I don’t think en ought blood is getting to the brain, consequently her thinking is not very good–they dropped her Losartan and upped her Amlodipine to 5mg
And I am 67 and am on HCTZ25mg (I retain a lot of water) and Losartan 75mg which causes leg cramps but I think I am experiencing angina – not always; it goes away after the initial pain – now I’m worried – yes I could lose weight but do not smoke(17yrs ago) or drink(used to then stopped now for a number of years). What’s are next move. Iam adopted so I can’t look to my Mom for any genetics…Thank you, Laurie
Your mother’s situation does sound worrisome, as you are describing falls and also some concerns with thinking. Her age of 96 is pretty old, so clinical research studies don’t provide much guidance on what is optimal blood pressure. Unless she has compelling medical reasons to aim for a SBP of 120, most geriatricians would probably reduce her BP meds and try to aim for a SBP in the 130s or 140s. So you may want to ask your mother’s doctor to discuss with you what is a suitable BP goal for her, and whether a reduction in BP meds might be reasonable.
Also, if your mother has been falling, then it is really important to pursue a comprehensive evaluation for fall prevention. There may be other factors causing her to fall, such as risky medications or low leg strength. See these articles for more:
Why Older People Fall & How to Reduce Fall Risk
10 Types of Medication to Review if You’re Concerned About Falling
Similarly, if you are concerned about her thinking, then she should be evaluated and checked for the many things that can diminish brain function. These include medication side-effects and more. See How to Diagnose & Treat Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Lastly, regarding your own health concerns, if you are concerned about possible angina or any type of chest pain, I strongly urge you to bring this up with your usual doctor as soon as possible. This is the only next move that can be recommended. A health care provider needs to evaluate you in person in order to determine whether additional testing of your heart is necessary. Heart disease in women your age is not uncommon and can be very serious, so don’t delay.
You didn’t mention that almost all blood pressure meds cause blood sugar to rise which is a real problem if you are pre-diabetic and trying hard to keep your numbers down so that you won’t have to take diabetic meds. My husband’s BP meds make him feel bad and make his blood sugar rise. If he stops the BP meds he feels great but his BP goes up. Happens on each BP med he’s taken.
Hm. It’s actually not very common — as far as I know — for blood pressure medications to cause a rise in glucose. I just reviewed the UpToDate topic on treating hypertension in people with diabetes. In the ALLHAT trial there was a small increase in glucose with chlorthalidone (a thiazide-type diuretic), but that’s the only glucose side-effect that is mentioned.
That’s not to say that BP medications might not have this effect on your husband; every person’s physiology is a little different, and some people will have unusual reactions to certain medications.
But worsening blood sugar is not something that most people on BP meds should worry about. Overall, clinical research finds that treating people with diabetes and prediabetes for their high blood pressure improves health outcomes.
I would recommend that you and your husband keep discussing with his doctors these concerns about the effect of his BP meds on his sugar, and more importantly, on his wellbeing. Perhaps with some additional effort, you’ll be able to find a BP management plan that helps keep his BP in a reasonable range without causing too many side-effects.
It’s also important to remember that several lifestyle approaches can improve BP and blood sugar. Good luck!
Could it ever be appropriate for a physician to prescribe slightly higher-than-routine dosing of a well-tolerated blood pressure medication, when other types of BP meds are not tolerated or would be problematical because of interactions with all the other drugs one might be on? I would assume fall risk should be evaluated in conjunction with such a consideration, and that it also might depend on how the particular tolerated BP med actually works in the body.
Well, it’s almost always possible for a prescription to be appropriate given certain circumstances…
For the situation you have in mind, it sounds like the person is on the usual maximum dose of a certain BP medication, is tolerating it, but might need more BP medication because the BP is not yet at goal?
Clinicians do sometimes prescribe still higher doses of a BP medication, especially if adding another agent doesn’t seem to be a good option. However, the BP may not improve much in response, although the risk of side-effects (such as electrolyte disturbances) usually does go up. You can ask your usual healthcare provider or a pharmacist to review potential side-effects with you, so that you’ll know what to monitor for.
The risk of falls due to BP meds is mainly a consideration when the SBP is lower than 120, or if the BP drops with standing. So it can be a good idea to check that BP sitting and standing. If the SBP is less than 130, then the clinician should be able to explain why he/she is proposing an increase in BP med dosing.
Be sure to discuss with the clinician what the target BP is, and why.
My BP since in my 30’s has been 135/75. I am 72 and last June it was averaging 160/70. I joined WW and lost 35 lbs but my home readings (BP monitor checked with doctor’s) 150-160/65-70. However, at doctors office it went from 170-145/75. I am planning to home monitor twice per day this next week. Another concern, my doctor is not concerned enough to put me on a hypertension pill. Isn’t 140 and above alarming? Health wise, my other health readings are all normal or below…..cholesterol, diabetes, plaque in arteries, etc.
Congratulations on losing all that weight, that is a wonderful achievement.
Re BP: as noted in the article above, several expert groups recommend treating adults aged 60+ to a goal of SBP less than 150. So if you find that your SBP is often in the 150s or higher, then it would be reasonable to consider a medication to lower BP, especially since it sounds like you’ve been trying lifestyle treatments but your BP is still not low enough.
A SBP above 140 is not “alarming” per se, but historically this has been the cutoff separating “high” blood pressure from normal or “bordeline” blood pressure. Many doctors do still believe that older adults should be encouraged to get their SBP below 140, and in the SPRINT blood pressure trial, one group of participants actually aimed to get their SBP below 120.
I would encourage you to read our two articles explaining the SPRINT blood pressure trial. This will help you understand whether it’s worthwhile for you to ask your doctor to help you reach a lower BP goal, such as less than SBP 140.
New Blood Pressure Study: What to Know About SPRINT-Senior & Other Research
What the New Blood Pressure Guidelines — & Research — Mean For Older Adults
In general, people get the most benefit from lowering BP from above 160 to the 140s. After that, many benefit from still lower BP, but the likelihood of benefit gets smaller and smaller…it’s diminishing returns, if you will.
Re your doctor, if after home monitoring you find your SBP is still in the 150s, then you can remind your doctor that guidelines do recommend treating adults your age to SBP less than 150. Good luck!
How can we treat hi pulse rate ?
To treat an abnormally high pulse rate, it’s essential to start with a careful evaluation to figure out what is causing the high pulse rate. It’s also important to determine whether the high pulse rate is a very new problem, versus a chronic problem.
Many things can cause a high pulse rate, including atrial fibrillation, other heart rhythm disorders, anemia, infection, substance withdrawal, medication side-effects, and more.
To treat an elevated pulse rate, you have to treat the underlying cause.
My mother had a massive cardiac event 19years ago. She is currently 79y and has 25% function of her heart. Up until 6 months ago was doing great. Then she started getting very tired and could hardly get out of bed.turns out her bp medication was making her hypotensive. The cardiologist put her on a new medication but took her off all bp mendications for 2 days. I had her take her bp twice a day for those two days and her bp was 111/62or less in am and evening. She also on day two felt great and was able to be back to normal ADL. She took the new medication in the evening before bedtime and woke up with a be of 83/54. Scared me to death. She felt terrible all day. I told her to not take it again. I have been since monitoring her bp twice daily and she is averaging 110/64. She had one morning at 154/83 when she was scared about some thing with a family member but later that evening it was again at 112/68. She has an apt. With cardiologist in 9 days. Should i have her cont. to stay off if we monitor daily and we do not see a spike in bp. I called her dr. After first week and the message from nurse, since doctor would not talk to me, was to take half of her enalipril. I said ok and still am afraid to let her take it. Am i wrong is there another reason for her to take this medication that causes the hyopensiveness?
Sounds like your mother has had some significant heart failure in the past. Such people can be very sensitive to high blood pressure, because heart failure can get much worse when the heart has high blood pressure to push against.
That said, it’s still important to not lower BP too much, even in heart failure.
It sounds to me like the cardiologist is in the process of trying to figure out what is the right dose of BP meds for her at this time, given the current state of her heart. Re the nurse’s recommendation, you may want to call back and make sure they realize that your mother’s SBP is only around 110, even off all BP meds. Ask them what they think her goal BP should be.
You can also try the half dose they suggest, and if it seems to make your mom tired and hypotensive again, call them right away and ask for revised advice.
Generally, you are doing exactly the right thing, which is to monitor and record her BP and what happens in relation to her medications. This will help her doctors figure out the right combination of medications she should be on. Good luck!
Thank you very much.
Here I found very insightful and also helpful information. My mom is 65 years old and she is facing high blood pressure (BP). This management plan will help me to assessing her BP.
Thank you so much. Keep coming with such more informative.
What about honey? I have heard, honey helps in controlling the blood flow in arteries. Also, taking honey regularly makes the heart stronger. Is it true?
Mihika
I’m not aware of any high-quality scientific research finding that honey improves cardiovascular outcomes.
hello;
i have read recently (from a very credible source) that the idea of limiting salt to reduce high blood pressure has no scientific evidence and has some how become a fact that has no supporting evidence. can you comment?
My understanding about salt and blood pressure is this:
– several credible studies have found that reducing salt intake in randomized trials is associated with a fall in blood pressure
– the reduction in blood pressure is often modest, but still significant from a public health perspective
– some evidence suggests that some individuals are more salt-sensitive than others, when it comes to BP. It’s even possible that the same individual may have BP that is more or less salt-sensitive, depending on what else is going in that person’s body and health.
Here is a recent meta-analysis addressing this issue:
Effect of longer term modest salt reduction on blood pressure: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials (2013)
Potassium has also been found, in some studies, to decrease blood pressure, see here.
(Note: potassium is cleared by the kidneys, so never try to significantly increase potassium intake without first discussing with your health provider.)
For individuals trying to reduce their blood pressure, I recommend considering a “trial of one”: make a dietary change to sodium (or potassium, but perhaps not both at the same time), and follow your blood pressure daily or weekly for several weeks. See what happens.
Hope this helps.
I enjoyed your information. I’m printing it so I can share it with my family and friends.
Thank you, glad to know it!
Iam an Indian 83 yrs old. My normal b p used to be120 l80. Today I was feeling different so checked It . is 150 by 100 .iam given some mild medicine. By chance I came across your blog . It gave me so much support. It is very informative. Iam very clear what I have to do. Thank you very much.
Glad you found this helpful!
What is the best high blood pressure medication that less side effect if you have CAD?
Hi Wakin
Well, I practice in Canada, so my answer is based on the 2018 Canadian Hypertension Guidelines, which recommends and ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor), or ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker), as the best BP medication for someone with Coronary Artery Disease.
However, if a person has angina, it may be preferable to use a CCB (Calcium channel blocker) which can reduce the angina symptoms, or if the person has had a recent heart attack, a beta blocker may be more appropriate.
So, the choice of anti-hypertensive really depends on a lot of factors, mostly related to a person’s other health conditions and history.
I am having high blood pressure measuring 140/110. I was watching some yoga video and reading lots of articles. So I am thinking of trying the nature cure way for about 1 month or two and if doesn’t work I am thinking of visiting a doctor. Your advice, please. Thank You
You don’t say how old you are, but a diastolic BP of 110 is quite high and would be unusual in an older adult. For that level of diastolic high blood pressure, I would recommend seeking medical advice sooner rather than later.
Hello ! mam I am a 19 year old guy weigh around 233 pounds having high blood pressure problem from last 9 to 12 months just recently started taking medication as adviced I don’t smoke neither drink but I am not getting the cure as this problem is effecting my daily life and overall health on a daily basis once my highest ever hbp reading was 180/100 that time I was completely shocked second time 4 days later it came 160/100 means this thing is not in a mood to leave me I am complete feared about my life and want a permanent cure to get rid of this problem permanently plz do help me out not able to find any kind of help as I’m too young for such problem just wanting a permanent cure so it may never ever effect me in future if possible
Sorry that you are having high blood pressure problems. You are young whereas I am an expert in aging health, so I’m not even sure what are the most likely causes of such high BP in someone your age.
You will need to see a health provider in person for further evaluation. Your BP is quite high so I would encourage you to go as soon as possible. For most people high blood pressure is a chronic problem, but sometimes there is an underlying cause that can be treated. It can also be greatly improved with the right lifestyle measures. Good luck.
I have been doing a search to find information I can trust about my high BP, and I am so glad I found you! Your information and links to more have answered my questions, hardly addressed by my doctors and pharmacists. I am an 87-year-old female in generally excellent health, eating properly and on the move. I get moderate exercise and have just now started a program with a trainer–paid for by my Medicare provider! I don’t want to lose strength or the ability to teach, write, and get around.
Glad you’ve found the information here helpful. Sounds like you are being very thoughtful and proactive about maintaining your health. Wonderful that your Medicare plan is covering an exercise program with a trainer! It’s true that as one gets older, being more deliberate and purposeful about exercise and strength work becomes more important. good luck and take care!
I just found this site while reading the Washington Post article, and I so hope there is some help for me. I will be 71 in a couple of weeks. I am a congenital heart survivor, having surgical repair by Dr. Cooley in 1960 at the age of 12. I learned a few years ago that I have a “showering” of micro hemorrhages in my brain from the heart lung machine not being “neuroprotective”… That news was shocking and traumatizing. As a child I expected to die. Both my young brothers died of other congenital illnesses. At any rate that apparently puts me at higher than normal stroke risk.
Some years ago I was put on medication for elevated blood pressure, as my mother before me. I took my medication and checked my values “religiously”… All of a sudden last October I developed malignant hypertension. I was hospitalized 3 times in 3 days with values over 220, then the hospital sent me to a nephrologist. He started running tests which were all normal. The hospital put me on Clonidine but the nephrologist did not add anything while running tests. In November I had to be hospitalized again. That time the ER doctor said they were not going to release me back to the same situation and added Amlodipine Besylate. My blood pressure has been normal with one brief spike since. Problem now are medication side effects: edema of feet and legs, hearing loss from fluid retention, bloating and constipation and generally not feeling well. I had always worked full time but finally retired this March. I am very disappointed to think that after working so hard for so may years I am going to feel like this in retirement due to side effects. I have talked to my nephrologist, especially a few weeks ago when I developed hearing loss from fluid retention and found that all the side effects are cumulative. He sent me an email saying we will stop the Clonidine and Amlodipine with no adjustments or anything in their place!! My pharmacist has tried to be helpful but can’t change anything. He says Amlodipine is one of the worst meds for side effects and many patients have to stop it for something else. The nephrologist does not seem to have done any research on side effects in order to suggest alternative medications, or to offer adjustments. He seems kind and listens, but offers nothing. In fact all of my medications for this condition were prescribed at the hospital. We have few geriatric doctors in this area, and no geriatric cardiologists. My regular cardiologist who just prescribed my standard meds cancelled my appointment when I developed the spikes. I already knew he was not up to challenges…I see an adult congenital cardiologist every so often even though he tells me I don’t need him as my congenital repair and heart are fine. There are not a lot of nephrologists here, but I think there is a better one in the same group so I doubt he will see me. I am really in a dilemma because I certainly cannot risk spikes, but would hope to feel better and not risk side effects such as fluid retention causing worse problems. It has also elevated my blood glucose which I watch and control through diet and exercise. The medication had my blood pressure running as low as the low 80s over low 50s, obviously too low, which is when the edema developed and I was lethargic. Now values are good. I have found little information on malignant hypertension and had never heard of it. I will greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you! PS I do not have a primary care doctor because so many here will not take Medicare and the “good” ones are not taking new patients or retiring. I have been looking for some time. My neurologist even had me send records to his good friend, an internal medicine specialist and they called and said he couldn’t help me….I had endocarditis at age 5 and have some medical PTSD. Sorry to write a novel, but I am thrilled there may be some help for me!
Sorry to hear of all your challenges related to blood pressure. Your situation sounds particularly complicated and so it’s probably appropriate for you to be seeing a specialist. High blood pressure can be treated by either cardiology or nephrology; nephrology might be better if you are also experiencing edema, but it also depends on what they think caused your hypertensive emergency in the first place and whether you seem to have anything going on with your kidneys.
Edema is a known side-effect of certain calcium channel blockers; doesn’t affect everyone but certainly can be an issue, especially with higher doses of this type of BP medication.
I took a brief look in the medical literature, and apparently combining a calcium channel blocker with an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor BP medication can improve edema:
Effect of renin-angiotensin system blockade on calcium channel blocker-associated peripheral edema
You may want to ask your nephrologist if that might be an option for you to try. You could also consider asking more questions about what they think may have caused your hypertensive emergency in the first place.
There are many different classes of BP meds that they could try, but it’s impossible for me to say which would be appropriate to try next for your particular situation.
If you are dissatisfied with your current nephrologist, you need to either persistently and politely keep asking for more help and more of what you need (e.g. more explanations), or you need to try a different nephrologist. I’m sorry as doing this is a lot of work, but unfortunately, it does sound like you need to work closely with a health professional.
You could also try looking for an online community of people with similar health problems, as this can be a good source of moral support. Good luck!
Dear Dr. Kernisan, you don’t know how thrilled I am to hear back from you!! There seems to be so little kindness these days that I so appreciate your caring response. I have had little success finding information about malignant hypertension. You mentioned following up was a lot of work, but it has been so consuming for me due to my fear, but also trying for a decent quality of life with as few side effects as possible, that my daughter says I need to find something else to do. (I have no other family left)…Besides a very stressful job, and caregiving for my mother who lived to be 97, I have always done volunteer work, so am really ready to get back to being productive…As far as my malignant spikes, I have asked every doctor and no one has an answer as to why it suddenly developed. That is one reason it is so scary. The nephrologist says he guesses it was from years of chronic stress. All the tests (kidney and carotid artery) were negative. I do a ton of research and am so glad to have found your site!! I found you through a link in a Washington Post article by Janice Neumann on August 17 “New Blood Pressure Guidelines Can Cause Problems for the Elderly”… I did not find a way to contact her. I have had no luck finding similar patients but need to learn social media skills. Thank you again so much!!!! I will be a faithful follower from now on!!! Best Regards, Kathy
Glad to be helpful. If the nephrologist says all the tests were negative, that sounds reassuring and might mean your doctors could try different types of BP medication with you. Generally, three types of medication are considered equally acceptable for first-line treatment of high blood pressure: thiazide-type diuretics, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (these two are related), or calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine.
Honestly I find that the best information is on Uptodate.com, there is a topic on treating high blood pressure in older adults. It’s written for professionals but summarizes all the important info, you can subscribe for 7 days for $20.
If stress is an issue for you, you might want to consider working on relaxation therapies, mindfulness, and other non-drug methods to reduce stress.
To find others online with similar health concerns, you could try SmartPatients or PatientsLikeMe.
Good luck and thank you for joining our community!
I am a 55 year old woman who was diagnosed with hbp about 5 years ago. I also have degenerative arthritis in my hips, in particular,and have had to keep up with strength training exercises over the past 20 years to ward off the pain. When first diagnosed with hpb, my doctor put me on Benicar. It helped immediately but I also began to experience some severe muscle and joint pain in my hips and legs. She switched me to Valsartan and the pain abided for about 2 months. Then came back again. Fast forward to last fall when I had a left hip replacement. Recovery was slow, especially for my age. I kept stumping the PT as to why my muscle tension was so tight. Finally, after I started working out at the gym, my pain resided. Counter intuitive, I know. Now I am scheduled to have a right hip replacement in November 2018 and am experiencing intermittent excruciating pain in my quads and tibia. I’ve been reading about an uncommon side effect of bp meds being muscle and joint pain. I’m wondering how much the bp meds are contributing to my pain. Would it be unreasonable to try switching bp meds every 3/4 months? Thank you for any advice you can provide.
Well, it sounds like you started with one BP med in the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) class, and then your doctor switched you to another drug in that same class. These drugs do affect potassium, which can affect muscle function but otherwise, I haven’t heard of them being particularly associated with joint pain, and I didn’t see much mention of this when I looked just now in my clinical reference (Uptodate.com).
There are several other classes of BP med you could try. If you think you are having side-effects from your ARB, then it might make sense to try a different class, such as a calcium channel blocker. (You could also try a thiazide diuretic, but that would be more likely to affect blood electrolytes.)
I would not recommend changing BP medications every 3-4 months just to prevent the onset of potential side-effects, but it certainly makes sense to reassess how you are doing on a BP med after a certain interval (usually after a few weeks, and then every few months or more often if the dose still needs to be refined or if there is concern about potential side-effects).
Re your pain, I’m not surprised that PT or exercise helped! They often do help if one is able to get there, gets a good therapist, and is able to stick with the exercises (no small feat when one is hurting in the first place). good luck!
Speaking of BP meds that effect potassium, my potassium is usually around 3.3 which is below the threshold. My doctor thinks this is due to the diuretic chlorthalidone and recommends a supplement like KLOR. I also take lisinopril and amlodipine. I have no symptoms of hypoglycemia and have put off taking the supplement. Perhaps switching to a potassium sparing diuretic would be the way to go, but I tolerate my current meds very well. I am a very active 75 year old man. Thank you so much for your good work with this blog.
Thank you for your feedback, I’m very glad if you find this site useful.
Hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar, not low potassium. I am guessing that you meant to write you have no symptoms of hypokalemia (low potassium)?
In general, symptoms are uncommon when the potassium level is over 3.0. However, some observational studies, such as this one, have found that mild hypokalemia is associated with an increased risk of poor health outcomes.
The main thing that strikes me about your comment is that you are taking three different BP medications. This is necessary for some people, but in other cases, with a little tinkering we are able to provide adequate control with just two medications. The combination of an ACE inhibitor (such as lisinopril) and a calcium channel blocker (such as amlodipine) was shown to be particularly favorable in the ACCOMPLISH trial, so this combination is now recommended by many experts.
So, you may want to discuss your BP medications further with your doctor. In particular, you may want to discuss the potential risks of mild hypokalemia, and you may also want to ask whether it might be possible for you to manage your BP adequately with two medications instead of three. Good luck!
Dear Dr. kirnisan,
I am an active 79 years old male of very slight build and weigh about 100 lbs.Till age 71,I ran and walked 40- 50 miles per week.
About 4 years ago ,my doctor told me that he was concerned with systolic blood
pressure which was averaging 157 in doctors office.I bought Amron blood pressure monitor and check my readings in the morning within 30 minutes of getting up at 4.45 a.m. and the I go for my walk and run or just walk and weight training 5 days a week. My home readings average about 115/67 with heart rate averaging 55.Pl. note that I have been on Amlodopine 2.5 mg. taking it about an hour before going to bed.I also take Flowmax and Avodart for enlarged prostate.
I am a light sleeper.
Recently, I started checking my blood pressure at about 5.0 p.m at home the readings can average as high as 142/67 with heart rate of about 58.
At my annual exam in late July, my blood pressure was again 157/65/54 as checked by doctor with 6 consecutive readings and on my own BPmonitor. My doctor reviewed about 100 readings on home BP monitor and came to the conclusion that he was not concerned.
I am known to be somewhat of an anxious person and somewhat high strung.Recently, I have started meditation with the hope of calming my mind.
I would appreciate your comments and any recommendations about bringing my BP to normal level in the evening as well.
Pl. note that I am a terrible typist and thus make spelling errors.
Thank you. Look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Rai Batra
Congratulations on being proactive about your health.
Well, it is common for people’s BP to be higher in the office, but if it’s higher in the evenings at well, you could certainly discuss changing your BP management with your doctor. I would recommend that you discuss further with your doctor. Specifically, you may want to ask your doctor why your BP seems to be higher in the evening, and what your goal should be for your home BP readings. You could also try changing the time of day you take your amlodipine, to see if that changes your daily BP pattern.
If you are in good health and prefer to minimize your cardiovascular risk, it could be reasonable to aim for a lower BP goal, such as that in the SPRINT study. I would just encourage caution about bringing that morning reading down further. You could discuss whether diet or other lifestyle changes might help you bring down BP, and then you could also talk to your doctor about adjusting your BP medications.
I am glad you are trying to address anxiety and being wound up. It certainly might help bring down your blood pressure, esp if you learn exercises related to deep breathing and other ways of inducing the body to physiologically relax. good luck!
Hello Dr. Kernisan, I’m glad I found this website, I’ve got a couple of questions, I would be very grateful for your input.
I just turned 45, a few weeks before that I suffered from a constant bad headache for a few days, I have one of those digital BP readers and it was 150/96, was quite shocked since my BP was very low 110/58 but I last took more than a year ago. My blood pressure was so low that I was denied donating blood several times when my mum had an accident.
Next day I went to a doctor, my reading was 145/94, he ordered a blood test, renal functions and other things and cholesterol level; he put me on a mild ACE inhibitor-10mg. He told me I have essential hypertension and didn’t advise any dietary/lifestyle changes except for lower sodium intake. I’m fit, workout every other day and I’m vegetarian for more than 20 years.
The tests came back all normal except for the cholesterol which is at 245- which is considered high risk according to the lab. The doctor gave me crestor medicine to combat the cholesterol and an additional aspirin 100 mg- I’m guessing as a blood thinner.
My questions are (which the doctor dodged):
Can we predict when was the hypertension triggered based on the cholesterol level test, in other words how long did I have it, when I asked him he dodged and said I might have always had high cholesterol, even though I only consume no fat dairy and rarely if ever eggs. I’m trying to establish a time frame of certain events.
It’s been almost 3 weeks since my diagnosis, my BP fluctuates badly from 125/75 early mornings to as high as 140/90 midday, my average would be around 130/85. Is that normal? and what are my chances of developing drug-resistance on the long run that’d require more/different medications.
Regarding the aspirin, the doctor said that it’s likely I’ll have to take it indefinitely. Wouldn’t that put me at a ver high risk of brain haemorrhage?
With medication, what is my risk of developing complications(blindness, cardiovascular etc) and death from stroke/heart attack. I’m asking for euthanasia preparations and at what age?
I can’t answer anyone’s health questions in detail over the Internet, but I can provide a few comments in response to your questions and concerns.
It is indeed normal for BP to fluctuate throughout the day; the body’s control of blood pressure is a very dynamic process and so it can fairly quickly go up or down. We generally recommend that people check their home BP at about the same time every day; you may want to ask your doctor what time he or she would recommend for you.
I address aspirin and other methods of cardiovascular risk reduction in this article:
How to Address Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Better Brain Health: 12 Risks to Know & 5 Things to Do
At age 45, there is still lots of time for lifestyle changes and other health management efforts to make a big difference in your outcomes. I believe the article above links to a cardiovascular risk calculator online; you could use that or something similar to get a ballpark estimate of your CV risk. Your doctor can also advise you. Good luck!
Thank you so much.
Dear Dr. Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH:
Thank you so much for your highly informative article on hypertension for seniors–the best one that I have read. Presently, my wife, age 78, weight 98 lbs., height 4′ 11″, has been on a 4 m Atacand (brand name) per day for close to ten years now. Healthwise, I was concerned about its side effects on her. Pricewise, it is a very, very costly drug and our plan now requires her to pay a newly required deductible of $350 before reaching a new copay that has also become more expensive as well. She does not smoke or drink. Her family doctor has suggested that she switches to a generic brand Atacand but she prefers not to risk with its poorer bioavailability. Is such a preference valid? Are there any benefits in a generic that would outweigh its bioavailability constraint? Is there any alternative brand name drug that would offer her a good transition? Thank you kindly again for sharing the above highly informative, useful, and rare article regarding hypertension for seniors. I’d look forward to your reply with great appreciation–if I may.
Sincerely,
Don Y.
I’m glad you found the article helpful.
Your question would probably be better addressed to a pharmacist or pharmacologist. I hadn’t attempted you describe, but it seems to me fairly low risk to try the switch. You will find out fairly quickly whether it works as well for her BP or not, and even if it’s slightly less effective, her provider could increase the dose a bit.
For most garden-variety hypertension, research suggests that which BP medication to use is less important than reaching a certain goal lower BP. So we usually try to find a medication that is affordable and has minimal side-effects. Hope this helps!
i am currently 63 years old and was on a higher daily dose of zestoretic from about 1992-2010 for 140/90 BP and slowly reduced my need (lower mg) for zestoretic by paying more attention to my health (diet, weight, exercise, etc), eventually (about 2014) i got down to 10mg of lisinopril (no more hctz) about once per week or as needed since i was monitoring BP at home. in late 2016, a new doctor recommended that i stop taking 10mg lisinopril, and my blood pressure was usually low about 100/60 after breakfast or exercise and would go up to about 130/90 in the evening. in 2017, my BP was 150/90 the morning before hernia surgery. anyway, long story short my BP seems to fluctuate a lot during the day, low (100/60) after exercise, low after breakfast, high (130/90) before going to bed. the low BP periods get shorter and shorter so i went back to taking 10mg lisinopril as needed, about once every 2 or 3 weeks and the low BP periods get long again. also my pulse seems to get higher (80) when my BP gets lower 100/60 and my pulse gets lower (70) when my BP gets higher (130/90). anyway, i recently moved so probably need to see another new doctor, but thought i would just let you know what is going on.
Fluctuations in BP throughout the day are pretty common; what you describe doesn’t sound exceptional or very worrisome, but of course it’s best to check on that with your doctor or someone who can examine you and review your health history.
Also common for the pulse to increase when the systolic blood pressure goes down, that is the heart compensating for low BP. In your case, it may or may not be an indication that your body is finding a systolic BP of 100 to be on the low side. I would consider a systolic BP of 100 to be low for someone on BP medications; there are a few medical conditions that warrant a lower BP but for garden-variety essential hypertension, I’m not aware of any randomized studies that have demonstrated better outcomes at such a lower SBP.
As you get established with your new doctor, you may want to discuss what your goal BP should be, and the likely benefits/risks of continuing on your current regimen. Good luck!
I find the information and the comments of your readers very helpful. Am not taking any BP medications but it is good to know how to maintain an acceptable BP especially for the elderly.
Thank you!
My blood pressure is usually between 180 – 190 systolic and 86 – 110 diastolic. I am 71 years old and have mitochondrial dysfunction. The symptoms are muscle weakness, chronic fatigue, rapid heartbeat when walking more than a few yards; hence I am extremely sedentary. I take 75g Losartan (UK brand?) plus 75g aspirin a day. My last blood pressure tests at the surgery and at the hospital didn’t seem to raise an eyebrow which really surprised me since they were very high as usual. Do you think this is due to my health condition? My feet and ankles are always swollen at the end of each day.
NB: before my mitochondrial condition (12 years ago) I was pretty fit and active and enjoying my life immensely and my blood pressure was lower but still not within a healthy range.
I am not very familiar with mitochondrial disorders, they are relatively uncommon. As far as I know, the symptoms usually relate to muscle problems. My guess would be that your high blood pressure is not particularly related. And even if it were related, that doesn’t explain why it shouldn’t be treated with anti-hypertensive medication or other approaches.
I would recommend asking your health providers to discuss your high BP with you. If you would like to reduce your cardiovascular risk, you should perhaps tell them this is important to you, and then ask for their help addressing your high BP. Good luck!
great information! my BP spikes at least 2 times a year 150/88 to 206/109 with no med or life style changes. no smoke, no drink, no fat. i double medications that seem to have no effect. then one day it is back to normal. i take the 3 different medications but it seems not to matter for the “spike” period which lasts about 2 weeks. i do the daily measurements at home plus i can tell when it’s high or low by the way i feel. (quite accurately) any ideas?
hm. I’m not sure what to think of that. I have had patients suddenly develop much higher than usual blood pressure, but this pattern you describe of it happening about twice a year, lasting for two weeks, and then resolving on its own sounds unusual. I’m not sure what would cause such a phenomenon. I would recommend seeing your usual health provider next time it happens and seeing if that person can help you figure it out. Or you could consult with a physician who is a specialist in hypertension and secondary hypertension. Good luck!
My grandmother is 83 years old. She recently just got home from the hospital after a high blood pressure. She is currently on medication. Her cardiologist asked us to monitor her BP in the morning and evening. In the morning, it’s high around >170 and same goes in the evening. After taking medicine, it normalizes.
Can she move around the house? Like clean a bit, go for a shower or walk around the neighborhood? She does not like being stuck at home. What kind of movements is she allowed and not allowed to do?
I wonder what’s going on with the spike of BP every morning and before bedtime. She does not feel anything. Does not have dizzy spells or chest pains.
Her blood results only showed high cholesterol levels. Kidney and bladder are normal. Although her X-ray showed heart is enlarged? Can this heart enlargement be reversed with the BP medication and proper diet? Thanks
You should ask your grandmother’s doctors just to be sure. But in general, it should be fine to move around the house, even if she’s being treated for high BP.
Be sure to let her doctors know if she experiences any symptoms when she exerts herself, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or headache.
The changes in BP you describe are sometimes caused by medication wearing off, but they can also be caused by other things affecting the body.
Her doctors should be able to explain to you why her heart appears enlarged. Often this is related to having some heart failure, which can be caused by chronic high BP. It does sometimes get better with good BP treatment and other good cardiovascular care. Good luck!
Hello,
My father is 57, he had a recent accident and at the hospital he was diagnosed wih hypertension, his blood pressure was as high as 260/180. They monitored him for two days and sent us home, last bp was about 130/80. I was wondering, what should i look out for in the next few days/weeks? What are the current risks he has? I didnt get a clear answer from the doctors.
Also, he is not obese, follows a healthy diet, doesnt smoke and always exercises. So it came as a shock for us.
Also possible that it was high after his accident because he was stressed by the accident and by being in the hospital. I would certainly recommend continuing to check it at home.
For just hypertension, there is usually not much to look out for in the way of symptoms, it’s usually more a matter of checking BP at home regularly (possibly every day) to make sure that it’s not too high or too low, and then this information can also be used to adjust BP meds.
Very high BP can cause headache (or sometimes shortness of breath), and low BP can cause lightheadedness. Good luck!
I have been having balance problems and eye problems . I also get optical migraines whenever I look at bright shiny objects . Take a coke and in 5 min the eyes are better . Had MRI.. fine . They say I have vertigo which put me in er for a few hours one night .. Had this balance problem which comes and goes all day . Nights after shower much better and sleeping is great .. i believe nerves are causing this in head .. would like your opinion . Thank you
Your situation sounds complicated and it’s not clear to me that it’s related to blood pressure, although that may be playing a role. I would recommend getting a thorough evaluation, perhaps from a neurology specialist.
I am an 81 year old female. I had complete hip replacement because it was gone from osteoarthritis or from 2 years of prednisone treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica . I had a very good surgeon and had no problem after surgery, only took tylenol and ice pack a short time. it has been almost 4 years with no problem or pain. My concern now is both knees are at severe level with osteoarthritis and need surgery one at a time. I am terrified of being in a wheelchair and in a rest home. If I pass a nuclear stress test (which I am terrified of taking) which is scheduled, the same surgeon that did hip will do the surgery. I am thinking it may take 2 years for both knees for this and recovery. I will be 83. I live alone and have no one to help with anything. I know you can’t tell me what to do, but just wanted your thoughts about it. I really like reading your writings. You are helping so many that do not get information at doctors offices. Thank you so much for caring for people.
So glad you find this site helpful, thank you for letting me know!
I can see why you’d be concerned about your upcoming surgery. You’re right that it can take a while to recover after joint surgery; even if one had an easy recovery a few years before, things might go differently this time, and anyway as one gets older, recovery tends to take the body longer.
I can’t tell you what to do, but I do think there are ways you can look into getting some additional help and support, both to help you through this particular surgery and because every older person should have a backup plan for how to get help if/when it becomes needed. You live alone and it sounds like you don’t have family nearby. Some options to consider:
– Can you afford to hire a professional geriatric care manager to assist you?
– If not, are there any non-profits or faith communities that provide volunteer or low-cost help to older adults?
– Have you checked with your local Area Agency on Aging?
– Do you have any friends or more distant family members that you could reach out?
I also recommend trying get your power of attorney paperwork done prior to surgery, if possible. (Of course, for this you will need to be able to identify suitable surrogate decision-makers; some states have professionals who provide this service for a fee.)
It is wise to plan ahead for common problems. But if you are terrified, try to get help addressing that feeling before surgery, because honestly, feeling terrified stresses the body and makes it harder to recover quickly. There are lots of ways to get support or otherwise address fear, including online or local support groups, prayer, meditation, counseling, etc.
It is hard when one lives alone and doesn’t have family, but with a little extra creativity and effort, you may be able to find some assistance. Good luck and take care!
Can you help,I’m 68 and had low pressure all my life until one year ago I had a 5 hour mos surgery between my eyes ,melenoma,back for 35 precancer freezes and 5 more biopsies,,seems to be all fine for now,but I’ve been stressed every day for one year,now my blood pressure is,averaging155/90,,tried Lisinopril,lots of bad effects,tried losartan and valsartin,both caused a small rash,,I won’t take these again,,I don’t want any pills,ever,,am freaked out about effects,,colesterall is 235,fairly normal for me,,I’m thin,in constant pain from bulging discs,terrible tinitis,a bit of emphysema,no smoke or drink,eat fast food and no excersize because in such pain,,I’m trying to eat better and walk a block or two,,I think pressure is up because of stress,,I’m now being sent to a cardiologist,can I get by with no medicine,and if I need ,would a calcium blocker be a good choice,or bad effects from theses also ,I live alone zero help,50 miles from a town with help
Sorry to hear of all these health issues. Lisinopril is in a class of BP medications related to valsartan and losartan. This class of medication is one of the three types recommended for initial hypertension treatment. It sounds like that type of drug doesn’t work for you, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll react badly to medication from one of the other two classes, which are calcium channel blockers and thiazide diuretics.
In general, guidelines recommend treating older adults to get BP lower than 150/80, so it’s probably a good idea for you to consider medication.
It will also really help if you can find ways to reduce your pain and stress. This will reduce your BP, improve your quality of life, and can also reduce inflammation and other forms of strain on the body. I would recommend looking into some kind of chronic pain self-management program. There are some available online, if you search google, such as this one.
There are also various guided audio programs available to help with relaxation.
Good luck!
My father age 65 got a normal stroke that he can’t speak properly and nothing happens to his mouth and other body parts… And I immediately admitted in hospital and doctor says he had a high pressure 160/100 and also sugar (exact measurements don’t know) so the doctor gave the medicine and immediately admitted him. So after discharge what precautions I have to take… Like diet or some medical information to make him normal again.. plzz can u help me
Sorry to hear he had a stroke. I would recommend talking to his health providers about his post-stroke care, because it really should be tailored to his specific medical information. Good luck!
You list lowering salt intake as one tactic but can you share your thoughts on how other dietary strategies might help lower high blood pressure?
Dr. Michael Greger has a chapter in his book “How Not to Die” regarding lowering high blood pressure. “A low-sodium diet centered around whole plant foods appears to be the best way to bring down high blood pressure.” from Greger MD, Michael; Stone, Gene. How Not to Die (p. 154). Flatiron Books. Kindle Edition. He goes on to say that nitrate-rich veggies, ground flax seed, and hibiscus tea may help… and even be on par with BP medications. He also mentions whole grains in other parts of the book.
Here are links to a few of his short videos:
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flashback-friday-how-to-treat-high-blood-pressure-with-diet/
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/high-blood-pressure-may-be-a-choice/
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hibiscus-tea-vs-plant-based-diets-for-hypertension/
In my comment above I meant to acknowledge your mention and link to the DASH diet. Dr. Greger covers that (including the limitations of that diet with respect to lowering BP) in the first video I linked in my previous comment:
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flashback-friday-how-to-treat-high-blood-pressure-with-diet/
Again, please can you comment? Thank you!
Hi Ron and thanks for your question, and for sharing those videos. I enjoyed watching them and they did provide a quick summary of some of the data about plant based foods in blood pressure reduction. I have not read Dr. Greger’s book, but it’s on my list, and I know that Dr. Kernisan recommends it to those who are interested in nutrition research in aging.
In general, when reading a scientific study, it is important to ask yourself a few questions:
1. Are the patient studied like me? Some of those studies were in people who lived in rural China or Africa. If you are not in one of those groups, your mileage may vary.
2. Are the recommendations practical and something I can stick with? Is it feasible to eliminate dairy and meat from your diet or are you likely to become frustrated and give up? Remember, the DASH diet was designed to be palatable and acceptable, not perfect.
I am always a little skeptical when I hear about a superfood, especially when it is recommended over other healthy foods (for example, if someone recommends eating sweet potatoes and not eggplant. I don’t think the abundance of obesity and heart disease is due to people eating too much eggplant. It’s more related to…abundance in general!).
I think it’s a great strategy to read about things that you can do to improve your health. A common theme in many bestselling medical books is increasing intake of vegetables and fruit, whole grains and lean proteins, along with low salt intake. And of course, balancing your lifestyle with exercise, not smoking and stress management.
My mother is 65..her bp is 150/90 ..she is taking Teltop 40 mg for a month..how long it takes for her bp to normal ?
Hi Prakash. From your ip address, it looks like you are in India, but I’ll just approach this question from a North American viewpoint. Teltop is a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan, both of which can be effective at reducing blood pressure, but some people may need a higher dose, an additional medication or may need to adjust other factors in their medication regimen or lifestyle to get good blood pressure control. After a month, most people would have had all of the benefit they are going to get from the medication and may need to make one of these other modifications.
I am 67 don’t have any health issues and take no drugs although drink one cup of coffee a day and a couple of glasses of wine on weekends and I don’t eat meat. I also run and swim five days of weeks, but I do my fair share of sitting around.
My question is my BP is generally 115 – 119 systolic but my diastolic is usually 80-85. The BP monitor says my BP is hypertension stage 1. Should I be worried? I don’t see much information on diastolic being higher than is recommended. Not sure what I can so to get it lower, do you know? OR am I being to paranoid?
Thanks, great info on this site.
Hi CAM and good for you for following the healthy lifestyle that you describe. My answer is based on Canadian guidelines, and you are right, diagnosis of hypertension could be made if a person has a diastolic BP of 85 or higher, but treatment is not recommended in most cases unless the diastolic is at least 90 mm Hg. If an individual has evidence of organ damage related to hypertension (kidney impairment, hypertensive heart eye or heart disease, stroke, etc.), then treatment could be considered.
I’m so glad you are enjoying the site!
Found this site to-day – it is first class.
I’m 80 and to-day was put on my first ever BP medication – Amlodipine 5mg – after 24 hour Holter monitoring. Average over 24 hours 142/81.
I told my GP I’m off to south of Spain (I live in IRL) in a few days for 3 weeks and should I take the medication now or wait until I get back. He said take it NOW i.e. with my breakfast to-morrow AM.
An hour after I get home I have a snack that included an Americano.
I took my BP using my A&D BP monitor and also using my Wife’s Microlife BP monitor.
My A&D BP readout was 117/53. Using my Wife’s Microlife the readout was 123/61.
I am really wondering should I hold off taking the Amlodipine because I am also on 11.5mg x 2 Metocor Beta Blocker for AFib purposes?
Regards
Séamus Ryle
Hello Séamus and I’m glad you like the site! We can’t give you specific medical advice, but if you read Dr. Kernisan’s article, and her piece on the SPRINT trial then you know that for some older adults, a target systolic blood pressure below 140 may have additional health benefits, and that a 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor reading is probably a fairly accurate representation of a person’s average blood pressure. Only your doctor, who knows all of your health history can advise you about what to do. I hope you enjoy Spain!
Nicest site yet I have seen! Thank you. About blood pressure, anxiety impairs it greatly. I have been subject to anxiety since early childhood. Until 10 years ago, when I was 55, my BP was always 120/80.
After I learned I have osteoporosis, I became more anxious and my BP at the doctor’s office was 140/80, later on it reached 178/95 because I was stressed out. So my worry was so great that I had “white coat” high BP at home. So I started to take it so often that I got tired of worrying while the machine would inflate, and it came to the usual 120/80. So my nerves increase my BP.
You are correct that anxiety can cause an increase in blood pressure readings, so, as Dr. Kernisan mentions in the article, that is why an ambulatory blood pressure monitor over 24 hours can give a more accurate result, or at minimum and average over several readings, after the person has had the opportunity to sit quietly for a few minutes.
Hello, Thanks so much for the great site. I am 62 and on Losartan 100mg dailly. recently my BP has risen to high 150’s over the high 90’s. Could this mean a medication adjustment may be needed? I have recently had additional stress in my life but not sure that is the total reason for the rise.
Thank you!
It’s interesting that you mention additional stress. We are still developing our understanding of the role of stress in the development of heart disease and stroke, although there is some evidence that stress reduction can be helpful in reducing blood pressure. The Canadian Hypertension guidelines touch on this briefly. It looks like cognitive behavioural therapy (talk therapy) might be helpful at lowering BP.
I can’t give you medical advice, but many individuals require higher doses of medication, or more than one medication, along with lifestyle changes, to get their target blood pressure into an acceptable range.
Hi my mom’s age is about 65 years and she is having hypertension, weakness and joint pain. Also she is obese and trying to do walk everyday to control her weight but due to her knee pain she could not walk for a long distance and get increase in heart rate and respiration. what would be the best diet for her that will not worse the hypertension but will help her to reduce the weakness. your suggestion will help me a lot. thanks.
Hello Harjot, and it’s so good of you to want to help your mom live a healthy lifestyle! I don’t know your mom’s complete health history so I can’t make a specific recommendation, but a diet I think is very good for almost all older adults is the MIND diet, which stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay”.
You can read more here, but this diet is a combination of a Mediterranean diet, low in red meat, butter, and pastry, and high in green leafy vegetables and other plant-based foods. The “DASH” part is low salt, which can be helpful for many individuals with high blood pressure.
In terms of dietary strategies to reduce weakness, that is probably going to depend on why a person is weak. Exercise is often the key to building strength and endurance. Best of luck!
All I can say, Dr. Kenison, is: I wish you were located in our neck of the woods. So thorough, so meticulous, such a great communicator. A doctor who actually cares whether older folks (I’m 83) get the kind of attention they need. Thank you.
one of our pts age is 65 years female
house wife in the interior of some urban city. spiritual
quite.good lifestyle.on several readings of blood pressure
sitting is 122/78 rt arm
supine 160/80
standing 154/84
what to do
hydration level is good
how to manage this case
Thanks so much for these articles. They are so well done; in-depth, yet easy to understand and so practical and helpful. I appreciate the time you take to prepare them.
hello doctor have a good day for you.i want to share my situation about my condition I’m taking medication 5years fir my hypertension and I am 39 years old right now..i am advisable for fasting?then sometimes I cannot take almost a week medication then I am drinking beetroots carrots juice then I’m feel very good and very smooth.butbwhen i start again the medication I feel palpitation what should I do doctor I say thanks and advance for your advice.
I can’t give medical advice on the internet, but in my experience, most people who require blood pressure medication need to take it all the time regardless of whether they are fasting or not. If a person thinks they are having a side effect from a medication, it’s a good idea to have a discussion with their doctor or pharmacist. There could be other reasons for the symptom that are unrelated to the drug.
Hello
I’m 45 years old
My BP normally is 120/81 sometimes 85
I started Keto diet 3 weeks ago ,I lost 8 kg so far, and I realized that my diastolic spike up to 90,95 even 98?, I don’t understand why.
I would like to mention that I don’t take no medication!
Please let me know your opinion.
Thank you!
Usually, weight loss improves blood pressure, and for every kilo lost, the BP usually goes down by 0.5 to 2 mmHg. Being a specialist in Geriatrics, which is the care of older adults, I’m not as familiar with the causes or treatment of isolated diastolic hypertension in younger folks like yourself. Congratulations on your weight loss.
I am 36yrs I started having bp 10yrs ago when I have my last baby but I started taking medication 6yrs ago still my BP is bad always 159/110 or 160/120 is it normal for me and my weight 95kg please I need your help.
Being a specialist in the care of older adults, I don’t have a lot of experience with high blood pressure in young or middle-aged people. I think the general principles about blood pressure measurement and management in the article are appropriate for any age group. If a person in your age group came to me about blood pressure, I would direct them to talk to their primary care provider, especially if they are already on BP medication.
Thank you for this. Your target for seniors of less than 150 systolic is much more in line with European guidelines that don’t recommend treatment unless it is above 140. The Europeans thus avoid all this nonsense of “pre-hypertension” or “elevated” status which does nothing but push more and more people onto medications with barely perceptible risk reduction. Who benefits from this other than drug companies?
Of course, for some individuals, a lower target systolic BP still makes sense, but the risk of treatment has to be weighed against the potential for harm reduction in every case.
Very helpful.I am 67 .My bp has been quite stable around 130/80.Lately it occasionally read 148/85.I was advised to take 20 mg Telmisartan which I have now taken for 8 days.My average daily bp is 125/75.Can I stop a few days ,carry out with my regular exercse and low salt diet and then monitor to see if I can do without medication?Thank you.
I can’t give specific medical advice over the internet, but I do often get asked by patients if they can stop medications, including those for blood pressure.
The purpose of taking a blood pressure medication is to lower blood pressure and subsequently lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and other conditions. The target blood pressure depends on the individual, and for some, a blood pressure of 160/90 might be acceptable, whereas for others, even 130/80 would be too high. Blood pressure medication only works when it is taken consistently. It’s not like an antibiotic which treats an infection, and can then be stopped when the infection resolves. If a person stops blood pressure mediation, their blood pressure will probably go back to its previous level, unless there was some other cause of the BP elevation which has been relieved.
It is a good idea to continue exercise and low salt intake for those with hypertension, regardless of their medication routine.