Smoking can raise our blood pressure temporarily and its chemicals can damage our artery walls, causing our arteries to narrow and stiffen.

Existing Health ConditionsĬonditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol can increase our risk of hypertension. Having a family member with high blood pressure before the age of 60 makes it twice as likely for you to develop the condition due to genetics. AgeĪs we grow older, our arteries may stiffen and narrow due to the build-up of plaque over the years, causing the heart to beat harder, thus developing high blood pressure. It is usually caused by a combination of hereditary and lifestyle-related risk factors. Essential HypertensionĪlso known as primary hypertension, it is the most common type of high blood pressure that develops over time. Note: Your blood pressure reading may vary depending on what you are doing – body position, breathing, emotional state, exercise, and sleep.Ĭommon types of high blood pressure include essential (primary) hypertension, secondary hypertension, and gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy). High: If your systolic pressure is 140mmHg or more, and/or diastolic pressure is 90mmHg or more when measured on two or more occasions, you may be suffering from high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes are strongly recommended. If your BP is higher than 130/85mmHg most of the time, even at rest, it is a sign to start taking precautions and follow your doctor’s advice to manage your blood pressure. If you have diabetes or kidney disease, you must aim to keep your blood pressure within 120/80mmHg as marginally higher blood pressure can increase your risk of developing complications.īorderline: Individuals with borderline high blood pressure of 130/85 to 139/89mmHg are considered pre-hypertensive. In a young healthy woman, normal blood pressure may vary from 90/60mmHg to 120/80mmHg. At this stage, no treatment is required, but it is recommended to continue monitoring to ensure that we do not develop high blood pressure. Normal: A normal blood pressure reading would be less than 130/85mmHg. In general, blood pressure is classified as shown below: The second number is the diastolic blood pressure, which is registered as the heart relaxes and its chambers open, filling with blood. the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood to the rest of the body. The first number is the systolic blood pressure, i.e. Expressed as a fraction of two numbers, blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a condition in which the heart has to pump harder for blood to flow through narrowed blood vessels, leading to persistently raised pressure.

Senior blood pressure chart 2018