Hypertension in Elderly

Hypertension in elderly, otherwise know as high blood pressure, is when blood pressure stays elevated at more than 140/90 or 130/80 if you have diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease.

What Does That Number Mean - 140/90?

This number refers to your blood pressure. The top number (140 in this case) measures the force of blood on arteries when the heart beats. The bottom number (90 in this case) measure the force of blood on arteries between beats.

Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension in Elderly

Hypertension is often called the "silent killer" because most people have no signs or symptoms. The main signs and symptoms of hypertension do not occur until blood pressure is dangerously high. At this time you might see headaches, nosebleeds and dizziness as indicators.

What Causes High Blood Pressure

cause is usually unknown
narrowing of the arteries
fast heart rate
kidney disease
vitamin D deficiency
medications, ie. Motrin/Ibuprofin, steroids
thyroid disease

Effects of High Blood Pressure on Your Body

hardening of arteries
arterial aneurysm
stroke
heart attack or heart failure
kidney damage
chronic renal failure
blindness

Who gets High Blood Pressure?

People who are:

older
overweight
have a history of high blood pressure in the family
more common in African American people than Caucasian people

If It's So Hard to Detect, How Can I Know If My Aging Parent Has Hypertension?

regular blood pressure checks at their physicians office
remember blood pressure does vary during the day; at least 3 readings on different days are needed to diagnose high blood pressure

What Are Some Things That Can Be Done To Decrease The Risk of High Blood Pressure

Limit Alcohol Consumption

heavy drinking (3 or more drinks/day) can damage your heart muscle
cutting back to a moderate level of drinking can lower your blood pressure; no more than 2 drinks/day for a male and no more than 1 drink per day for a female

Manage Stress

high levels of stress can temporarily cause a dramatic increase in blood pressure
develop strategies and relaxation techniques to deal with stress

Get Enough Potassium

potassium helps lower blood pressure by helping to balance sodium in the body
foods high in potassium include: fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish

Lose Weight If Overweight

overweight individuals need more blood to supply nutrients to the body which can put more strain on the heart
losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure

Follow A Healthy Eating Plan

eat more fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy products
include whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts
eat less fat and red meat
decrease sugar intake, sweets and sugared beverages

Limit Sodium/Salt

research shows that eating less sodium/salt lowers blood pressure
lower your sodium intake by:
- eating out less often
- buying fresh, frozen or unsalted canned foods
- choosing food with less than 400 mg/serving of sodium
- buying low or reduced sodium or not salt added foods
- using less salt