Average blood pressure reading by age
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Average Blood Pressure Reading by Age
Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents
Age-Specific Blood Pressure Patterns in Children
Research on blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents reveals distinct age-specific patterns. In Spanish children aged 1-18 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP) increases uniformly by 2 mmHg per year until age 13 for both boys and girls. After 13, boys experience a slower increase of 1.3 mmHg/year, while girls' SBP levels off1. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) also shows a steady increase of 0.9 mmHg/year from ages 6 to 18 for both sexes1. These findings align with global data, which indicate a universal upward progression of BP levels between ages 6 and 182.
Blood Pressure in Adults
Blood Pressure Trends in Adults
In adults aged 18 and over, mean SBP is 122 mmHg, while mean DBP is 71 mmHg. These values vary significantly with hypertension status: normotensive adults have lower averages (116/69 mmHg), whereas untreated hypertensive adults have much higher averages (146/85 mmHg)3. Blood pressure tends to increase with age, with SBP showing a more pronounced rise compared to DBP3 8.
Age-Related Variations in Blood Pressure
A comprehensive study of 35,683 adults aged 18-99 years in Germany found that SBP increases by 10-20 mmHg across different age groups, with a more significant rise observed in women5. This age-related increase persists even in individuals without cardiovascular risk factors or antihypertensive medication5. Another study highlights that older adults exhibit higher systolic and lower diastolic pressures compared to younger individuals, indicating a shift in BP patterns with aging10.
Blood Pressure in the Elderly
Blood Pressure in Older Adults
In older populations, BP readings show considerable variation. Historical data indicate that men and women aged 60-89 years have average SBP/DBP values ranging from 173/93 to 222/112 mmHg, with significant individual differences6. A meta-analysis of one million adults aged 40-89 years found that each 20 mmHg increase in SBP or 10 mmHg increase in DBP is associated with a twofold increase in the risk of vascular mortality, with the risk being more pronounced in younger age groups7.
Circadian Blood Pressure Patterns
Circadian Variations in Blood Pressure
Circadian monitoring reveals that BP varies throughout the day, with higher readings during daytime and lower readings at night. This pattern is consistent across different age groups, although older adults tend to have higher systolic and lower diastolic pressures compared to younger individuals9 10. The variability in BP readings is also greater in older adults, suggesting that longer monitoring periods are necessary for accurate assessment10.
Conclusion
Blood pressure readings exhibit distinct patterns across different age groups. In children and adolescents, BP increases steadily with age, while in adults, SBP shows a more pronounced rise compared to DBP. Older adults tend to have higher systolic and lower diastolic pressures, with significant variability in readings. These age-specific trends highlight the importance of tailored BP monitoring and management strategies across the lifespan.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
National standards of blood pressure for children and adolescents in Spain: international comparisons. The Spanish Group for the Study of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Childhood and Youth.
Spanish blood pressure levels for children aged 1-18 are slightly higher than those in the US, but overall, Spanish values are slightly higher or equal to international data.
Meta-AnalysisBlood pressure by age in childhood and adolescence: a review of 129 surveys worldwide.
Blood pressure levels generally increase from ages 6 to 18 years, with boys showing a more rapid increase and girls experiencing a slower increase and a reversed trend.
Systematic ReviewMean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults aged 18 and over in the United States, 2001-2008.
The mean systolic blood pressure in adults aged 18 and over in the United States was 122 mm Hg, with men having higher pressures than women, and non-Hispanic black adults having higher pressures than non-Hispanic white and Mexican-American adults.
Observational Study
Highly CitedPS-P04-7: ALERTING REACTION OF BLOOD PRESSURE AND AGE: MAY MEASUREMENT MONTH 2019
Age significantly and differentially affects the fall in systolic and diastolic blood pressure from first to subsequent readings, highlighting the importance of taking multiple readings to avoid overestimation and overdiagnosis.
Percentile distribution of blood pressure readings in 35683 men and women aged 18 to 99 years
Blood pressure increases with age, with men showing a gradual increase from the lowest to highest age group, and women experiencing a range from 15 to 40 mm Hg increases.
Observational Study
Rigorous JournalBLOOD PRESSURE AND OLD AGE
Old age is associated with increased blood pressure, with 74% of patients having systolic figures over 140 mm. and 40% having diastolic figures over 90 mm.
Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: a meta-analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies
Throughout middle and old age, usual blood pressure is strongly and directly related to vascular (and overall) mortality, with no evidence of a threshold below at least 115/75 mm Hg.
Meta-AnalysisHighly CitedBlood pressure percentiles by age and body mass index for adults
Blood pressure increases with BMI and weight, and most obese or overweight adults are hypertensive, with systolic pressure rising more than diastolic pressure.
Observational StudyTwenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure in men and women aged 17 to 80 years: the Allied Irish Bank Study.
Ambulatory blood pressure in healthy bank employees averaged 118/72 mmHg over 24 hours, with reference values for men and women aged 17-79 years.
Observational StudyHighly CitedCircadian blood pressure patterns in ambulatory hypertensive patients: effects of age.
Ambulatory circadian blood pressure monitoring reveals significant changes in blood pressure levels and variability with age, while casual blood pressure does not accurately reflect these changes.
Observational StudyHighly Cited