What is a good blood pressure for my age?
A good blood pressure at any age is below 120/80, which is considered optimal for adults of every age. Pressure tends to creep up as arteries stiffen with the years, but higher numbers are worth treating, not just accepting as aging.
Many doctors aim for below 130/80 in older adults, adjusted for frailty, other conditions and how treatment feels. The right target is personal.
What matters most is your average across a week of proper home readings, discussed with someone who knows your history.
See a doctor promptly if
- A reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher with chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side, slurred speech, confusion or sudden visual change. This is an emergency
- Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher in pregnancy, especially with headache, upper abdominal pain, visual disturbance or sudden swelling
- A repeated reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher even without symptoms. This needs same-day medical assessment
- New severe headache, nosebleeds that will not stop, or breathlessness lying flat alongside high readings
- Blood in the urine, or a sharp fall in how much urine you pass, together with high readings
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Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
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