{"id":5323,"date":"2020-09-21T17:40:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T17:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/orangeville\/blog\/seniors-and-blood-pressure-management\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T17:01:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T17:01:59","slug":"seniors-and-blood-pressure-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/orangeville\/blog\/seniors-and-blood-pressure-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Seniors and Blood Pressure Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seniors and Blood Pressure Management<\/h2>\n

The Silent Killer
\n53% of Canadians aged 60 to 79 have high blood pressure (or hypertension).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Seniors and Blood Pressure Management –\u00a0It\u2019s especially concerning considering that high blood pressure contributes significantly to the risk of health conditions that thousands face each year, such as heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure, and kidney disease. And because those with high blood pressure tend not to have any symptoms, the disease is often referred to as the \u2018silent killer.\u2019<\/p>\n

Blood Pressure and the Risks for Seniors<\/h3>\n

Blood pressure can increase for those of any age, but adults age 65 and older tend to be at greater risk of high blood pressure because of structural changes to the arteries. Fortunately, education around blood pressure seems to be making an impact; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that there has been a gradual increase in the number of older adults who have received treatment for high blood pressure since 1999. The key to managing high blood pressure for these individuals was having their blood pressure checked frequently. But what exactly constitutes normal blood pressure for seniors?<\/p>\n

What Is Considered Normal?<\/h3>\n

High blood pressure was, for many years, treated at 140\/90mm Hg, but just last year, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) released new guidelines that consider 130\/80 to be high. While these new guidelines were put in place to help treat high blood pressure earlier, some in the medical community feel that it may be harder to apply directly to seniors, who, as mentioned, already have higher blood pressure levels than younger adults. Treating the matter as black and white may not be realistic. For instance, lowering a senior\u2019s blood pressure, when unnecessary, can dramatically increase seniors\u2019 risk of falling. Conversely, one study showed that frail seniors may actually benefit from a slightly higher blood pressure level to help facilitate constant blood flow.<\/p>\n

By ACC standards, blood pressure lower than 120\/80 is still considered ideal, but physicians should consider all aspects of a senior\u2019s wellbeing before setting out to reach this goal. Cardiovascular health is an extraordinarily important part of our overall health, but it should not be managed in a silo. Seniors should discuss the subject of their blood pressure thoroughly with a physician, keeping in mind any existing conditions and current medications. Comprehensive discussion will help lead to a better plan for either reducing the risk of high blood pressure or management of existing high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Managing Blood Pressure:<\/h3>\n

All seniors should obtain a blood pressure monitor for their home so that they can self-check. It\u2019s recommended that several readings, across the span of about one week, are averaged in order to get higher level of blood pressure accuracy. If blood pressure consistently stays high, medication may be required. However, there are a number of lifestyle choices seniors can make to help reduce their risk of high blood pressure, all of which should be done with physician approval.<\/p>\n

Lifestyle changes that support healthy blood pressure:<\/h3>\n