what in your opinion should be an acceptable blood pressure reading for a 70 yr old female
It’s making me anxious, lm sure it affects the reading, this morning it was 135/85
Causing Anxiety: what in your opinion... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Causing Anxiety
Written by
Almostthere12
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
70 Replies
•
Perfect! My GP likes older patients to have a slightly higher rather than low BP to reduce the chance of falls.
Thank you
That's interesting. Did your GP really you the thinking behind that? Just falls due to hypotension?
I think it’s because older people tend to have slower responses eg it’s very common for oldies to feel faint or dizzy if they stand up quickly, and getting out of bed quick.y in the night seems to be particularly bad. I had low blood pressure for a while when my need for BP meds ceased (long story) and nearly collapsed in the shower after suffering unsteadiness on my feet and blurred vision for weeks until it occurred to me to check my BP. Doctors also make allowance for your BP tending to be higher when they check it.
BobDVolunteer
Looks good to me especially if you worry about it. Sit quietly for ten minutes relaxing before you take it is best . If you have been worryinga bout it first it can raise.
I have my own BP machine but seldom use it unless my GP asks me for a seven day chart (once a year near my birthday) as it can be self defeating.
Thank you, have to do a chart in Oct, will take your advice and stop taking readings, it’s making it worse I’m sure
We had to do a chart form my wife's elderly Aunt many years ago and the Doc said to take 3 readings and choose the best - I presume this was because they presume the first reading may be high because of anxiety and the faff of putting the cuff on etc but either the second or third will be a truer picture because you are relaxed more. Good advice to sit down for 10 minutes quietly before taking the reading - don't eat or drink anything hot just before as that can raise the reading too.
I trained in the 60s when blood pressure was fine if systolic was 100 plus your age!!! I know things have changed butI read somewhere this week that for us ancients anything under140/90 is fine. Over treating hypertension in the elderly causes more harm than good as Buffafly said. I rarely take mine unless by request.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) currently recommend that men and women 65 and older aim for a blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg.23 May 2024
Thank you, it reassures me, just get this panicky feeling at the top of my chest, every now and then, it makes me feel scared.
I totally agree with the comments. I am exactly the same. I have to keep a running diary for my cardiology appointment and some days I just miss them as less anxiety. Always higher if worrying. Good luck and you're very much among friends on here. Lynne
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) currently recommend that men and women 65 and older aim for a blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg.23 May 2024
Those look like the old guidelines. Current are 130/80 and ideally 120/80, of course, individualized based on patient history.
Jim
Thanks mjames1 To me at 80 six months is but the blink of an eye. I know over treating the oldies can cause other issues and I don't want to live for ever!!
British Heart Foundation quote "Unless your doctor says otherwise, blood pressure should be below 140/90. Those with heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease, should ideally have a reading below 130/80."
Yes, BHF guidelines are similar to the old AHA and ACC guidelines, which are now 130/80, but ideally lower. Important thing is to match your target blood pressure with your individual health profile. 140/90 may be ok for Jack but not for this Jim.
Jim
Thank you
You can bet your bottom dollar that new guidelines will result in more people taking more pills in most cases. My French GP always says my blood pressure is perfect if it's 140/80 or less.
Very good point !👍
Mine says the same
And yet current ESH (European Society of Hypertension) guidelines are the same as the"old guidelines" of ACC/AHA ...
The ESH guidelines also recommend a higher BP target (<140/90 mm Hg) for patients with hypertension and CKD than does the ACC/AHA guideline (<130/80 mm Hg), but recommend the same BP target (<130/80 mm Hg) for patients with hypertension and coexisting CAD, DM, and cerebrovascular disease. 5 Feb 2024
🤔🤔🤔
Hot off the presses. New ESC (European Society of Cardiologists) guidelines.
(Medscspe summary)
For most treated patients, the new systolic blood pressure goal is a target of 120 mm Hg to 129 mm Hg, which is a move away from the previous two-step recommendation.
Yes, I understood the numbers, but it's important for me to be reminded that the lower target is for "treated patients", while the "non-treated" like me are still trying to balance on a pinhead to avoid falling into that cohort. My most recent series produced a marginal average of 130/85 (it has been both higher and lower over the previous 10 years), but I have noticed a drift upwards as I age (now 77), as others have mentioned.🤔 More positively I can report my daily small glass of organic beetroot juice has had a beneficial affect on my BP numbers. And it tastes good with 10% apple juice to "sweeten" it.
What about the diastolic though?
I'd prefer a diastolic under 80, but 85 is not that bad with no bp meds.
Jim
My husband is 80 and our GP is not worried about an occasional blood pressure of 150/80. He has been on BP medication for years but sometimes his BP is much lower. I think the GP recognises that BP fluctuates so any reading is only a snapshot anyway. He has made no suggestion about upping the dose. But when my reading was that high he waited for 5mins and did it again. I had had a horrendous drive to the surgery through thick fog so little wonder it was higher than usual! It did come down.
Your blood pressure seems OK per guidelines, but without knowing your complete medical history, it would not be right to make a definitive statement. For that, you should consult your doctor.
Some may argue that monitoring blood pressure causes more stress than benefit, but this is a misconception. Regular monitoring empowers you to take control of your health, allowing for timely adjustments in medications and lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise.
Keeping blood pressure in check is crucial, especially for someone with Afib. High blood pressure raises stroke and heart failure risks and is fact is an important component of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for stroke risk assessment.
Looking back at my cardiovascular history, including atrial fibrillation, if I could’ve changed one thing, it would’ve been paying closer attention to my blood pressure.
Because of my atrial fibrillation, history of hypertension, and other cardiac issues, I now monitor my bp at home daily. This is in keeping with the recommendation of major health organizations.
Jim
Thank you
Think of your blood pressure monitor as your friend, not your enemy. It's there to watch over you and keep you safe. As mentioned, your blood pressure seems OK -- probably better than most your age -- so certainly no reason for anxiety.
As I'm sure your doctor has told you, bp can vary day to day, even hour by hour. Best practice is to sit calmly for 10 minutes before your reading and then take it a few times and do an average.
Occasionally you may get a reading higher than normal. This is very common and again should not a cause for anxiety. It's the overall pattern that's important.
Jim
this morning it was 135/85
That seems normal to me.
As with all monitors, I find it’s best to only look at results historically and see what trends are. If you can just take it now and then and make a note without overthinking and then over a few weeks see what you have. Same with heart rate monitors, just looking puts it up.
Best wishes
There are a couple of other forums on HU which may help you. High blood pressure support and British Health Foundation
That is good. Relax for a few minutes before taking it then take two readings 2-3 minutes apart. Use the lowest reading. A guideline is if it exceeds 140/90 see your GP.
Reading is not to bad .
At 72, two changes normalised my blood pressure. I stopped drinking coffee; it's a vasoconstrictor (increases blood pressure). In it's place I have a cup of Hibiscus tea each day. It's delicious and very calming. Together my hypertension has gone and my BP has reduced from 160/100 to 120/80.
As far as I’m aware, Coffee only temporally increases blood pressure, 3-4 hours maximum.
This is my personal experience. You have to stop drinking coffee for good and Hibiscus tea is renowned for reducing PB. Simple to do, and worth experiencing.
For some reassurance you might check out York Cardiology on YouTube.
According to the NHS normal BP range is between 91/60 to 140/90. Therefore your BP is considered within the normal range-so no need to worry…
It used to be 120/80 but most people find that very difficult to achieve.
I was given saline drip in hospital and not allowed out of bed when my blood pressure was 90/60 after a colonoscopy and after operations. It was certainly not considered normal. More like a risk for a fall.
Apologies, it should have read 91/61 to 140/90 is considered normal under NHS guidelines. Granted 91/61 is just above low BP. That said, some people can function on BP readings such as this.
90/60 is the bottom end of normal.
I think 140/90 is now counted as the beginning point of "high". It strangely always takes me three, maybe four, readings to get a stable reading, waiting a minute between each. I sit at a table, arm resting on a cushion and stare out at the sky. This always reduces my reading on the 3rd or 4th attempt. I seem to have "white coat syndrome" (i.e. raised BP from fear of the result) even at home. I use an excellent Omron Evolv and would highly recommend it as it's so easy to use and reliable.
Steve
Hi
A thinner arm is better with a Microlife BP and takes smaller batteries, has memory to store.
Remember 20mins rest, arm supported above heart
Take 3 separate readings 3-5 minutes apart. Take average.
Always RELAX and think of the KING!
cheri JOY
If you think you have white coat syndrome even at home why bother doing it at all ? Surely it just adds to the anxiety. I would not dream of getting a BP monitor. The Kardia ia bad enough!
I don’t knowingly have anxiety when I take it, it’s just that it takes 3-4 attempts to get a stable reading, so I put it down to that.
I only take it as my GP requests my blood pressure occasionally for some reason.
I like using my Apple Watch ECG app when my palpitations reach a certain point. There’s something comforting in it.
Steve
I sometimes think I ought not to use the Kardia when I go into afib as there is not much more I can do to bring my heart rate down. I rest , distract myself reading and take extra Nebivolol. Knowing my heart rate is still high just makes me anxious and makes me feel worse.
Much the same, really. It's the ectopic beats I get in the run up to AF that intrigue me and that's why I use an ECG (similar to Kardia). I can't take too much extra bisoprolol as I have bradycardia, but wait and see. My heart rate is not as high as before recently, although a few weeks ago it did touch 185.
Hi Steve, I also use Omron, in my opinion it’s the best home monitor on the market - and NHS validated.
During my consultation a couple of weeks ago, my BP was 180/105. I told my consultant that I suffer from WCS.
It would not reduce throughout my appointment.
She advised me to take my home monitor along to my local pharmacy to compare readings with a “calibrated monitor”.
In the interim she upped my diltiazem by 60 mg per day.
I duly went along to the pharmacy. Guess what? BP was showing 183/104 on calibrated monitor, and 184/105 on my own.
Pharmacist sent me to GP as my reading flashed up as an emergency.
I completed the obligatory weekly home monitoring. Low and behold, BP averages 124/77.
GP confirmed I have a very sensitive nerve component to my BP, in other words WCS!
I stopped taking the additional diltiazem as it made me feel unwell, not sure if it was reacting with Atorvastatin.
Pleased to say, I am kind of back to normal and working on breathing exercises recommended by my friend.
Hope you are well.
That was a fascinating story and it made me laugh when the pharmacy machine flashed up as an emergency. Oh well - your experience is similar to my own, although my BP doesn;t go up as high at all. You really do have WCS!!
Yes - the Omron is a near perfect device without the faff of the old-fashioned cuff to wrap around.
Steve
Can I please ask exactly which model of Omron are you using?
Hi ozziebob, I use Omron X2 Basic. Last week I took my monitor along to my local pharmacy to compare against a calibrated machine. The readings were the same.
Omron is an approved by NHS.
I find lots of differing views on this from the professionals..too high..too low…and perfect ..all for same numbers..so a range but I think they would all agree about what are dangerously high or low levels..
Hi
They do.
H/Specialists say Heart Rate UNDER 100 at rest. No operations done unless URGENT.
Don't forget RATE first.
BP. Systolic to 140 OK but a range to 135 better. 150 upwards needs taming hyper.
Diastolic to 89 OK above hyper needs taming.
Emergency H/Rate over 200
BP over 180 / 100. A&E.
cherio JOY
Hi, I remember an A&E doctor telling me that GP’s are too fixated on numbers. A&E will only act if you have symptoms such as, excruciating headache, blurred vision etc. That applies across normal any BP reading.
He said most people’s BP rises whenever they enter a medical environment.
135/85 is perfect ..! 👍
That's fine. It's probably lower than that when you are not stressed too.
Hi
I'm female and 75.
In the morning it can rise.
Put on low dose Bisoprolol 2.5mg night for control Systolic was peaking at 160. Diastolic 90.
Now 110-135. over 69-79. Great.
It was the rapid H/Rate Day which because of thyroid cancer gave me AF which undiagnosed gave me a stroke in 2019 Embolic Type. At 2am morning.
In hospital diagnosed with Stroke with Rapid and persistent AF.
For control of Heart Rate
AM 120mgCD CCB Diltiazem.
For control of BP
PM Bisoprolol 2.5mg best for AF Specialist says..
and PRADAXA 110 x twice daily. My anti-co-agulant.
***Without meds your BP great.*** But don't forget your Heart RATE.
Night 47avge bpm my norm and doesn't change.
Now Day (& lost 3kg) 60s.
Cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)
Good Morning to you, I’m not medically trained in any way but a Blood Pressure reading of what you posted I would suggest is pretty good, I would be quite happy with that reading, and I feel so would most doctors, I’m 74 years male, try not to worry. John
My cardiologist (US) loves those numbers. You’re doing a good job. He says it’s not good to take it too often, BP fluctuates with activity or lack of. That’s a sign of a healthy heart when it responds to our current activity levels. Taking it too often, when your numbers are so good only causes you to think about it and that can cause anxiety.
Looks pretty good to me.
BP can go haywire with anxiety. Mine is always high when i go to he doctor or hospital. It even has a name- white coat syndrome. At home my average is 124/69 but that's an average which is he only way to assess it properly. One reading can be really high; others very low. I do a week of readings once a year. I recently did one as I'd had a very long lasting virus and suspected my BP was raised- it had been creeping up last year. During he virus and when I was worrying about it it was around 18586. Once I'd recovered from the virus I did a full week and got the result above. Just walking into the kitchen or taking a phone call can put my BP up.
Make sure you haven't eaten or drunk anything for half an hour before. Sit down and rest for 15 minutes with the cuff in place then just press the button and think calming thoughts. Do it 3 times and write down only the lowest.
A 70 year old woman here too…4 1/2 years ago Long Covid sent my BP up from a lovely 120/70 range to being into 150s/ 80s, and I was put on 5 hypertensive drugs, but I gradually realised that I regularly had high HR over 100 ( eg 130 just walking to the kitchen). Although I provided the BP/HR figures which carried on in mid 140s/70s while I was feeling more and more unwell, unable to walk without pain in mid back and breathlessness. Eventually after lots of nudging got a tilt table test done and found to have postural hypotension (60/40) on standing 8 mins. ; the HR goes up to compensate. Falls consultant took away 2 hypertensives and referred me back to GP, who by August put me back on one of them. BP now varies considerably day to day ( anything from 150s- 106/60-85) but when I get ‘nice’ 129/68 my HR goes over 100. For some reason the surgery nurse does BP but never records HR, why when mine seem to be very much interrelated? My GP just doesn’t seem to understand how disabilitating hypotension is and seems keen to keep me in the 120s/70s range despite my more mature age shoving hypertensives at me to solve all ills! Only the tilt test table was sophisticated enough to catch the hypo BP, even the local hospital version of a NASA tilt test didn’t record it, nor a 24 hour BP monitor.
I would ad from own experience that it’s not good to keep checking all the time as recently since my operation I’ve been addicted the the thing … I’ve had to put it out of reach ! It was making me anxious especially whrn it was low and mine has been all over the place since ny operation.
If you’ve no real reason Like your doc asked you yo check fir instance I’d leave it be and get on with life. That reading is perfect fine. Trust me it will drive u nuts if you keep checking 😀
Sue
in France thry fine seem bothered with last number so if you are 140/80
They say 14/8
If you are 145/85
They’d still say 14/8
Funny eh!
Goodnexx that perfectly acceptable.. I just tok mine and ts 140/110. Thats not comfortable. Im 82 male
I thought I would share my Blood Pressure recent experience.
I had a 24 hour Blood Pressure monitor, because I went for a medical appointment (unrelated to my heart / AFib) and they took my BP and it was something like 103/65 and the nurse said that was low and I should see my GP. So I did.
In the 24 hours the monitor took 36 readings. The report said I have "normal' BP" with "a few hypertensive readings". The lowest reading was 77/45 at 8am and the highest systolic reading was 158 and that was with a 58 diastolic at 2pm (but followed half an hour later of 114/75). The majority were around 110/65.
What I gather from all this is the BP can be very volatile! And also that my doctor believes that this is not a problem and that the average of around 100-110 over around 60-70 is "normal'.
I don't have any dizzy spells or faint feelings, so apparently that's all fine. I'm 69 and have PAF, but very few incidents, just ectopics and some fast heart rate incidents usually in the middle of the night.
Hope this is of interest. Would be most interested if anyone has any views/comments on this.
normal
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Sotalol causing bradycardia
It has been lowering my bpm as low as 28: and often in the 30-40 ranges, especially at nights, then...
Gabapentin causing AF?
hi there,
I haven't had any AF since my successful Ablation in 2016. I do get odd runs of...
Paroxysmal AF ? Causing
AF triggers any help please: since late 2012 have had AF ( now 8 events): 1st trigger eating pastry...
Bisoprolol and anxiety.
Hi All
My first post but have been reading with interest for a while. My husband had AF about two...
Afib Ablation and Anxiety
I am 47 and was recently diagnosed with Afib. Because I am so young I don’t want to be on...
New Mattress causing Afib
Flecainide causing Acid Reflux causing Episodes?
Are meds causing symptoms?
Flecainide causing bowel soreness?
Nitrates causing ectopics?
