What are the new blood pressure guidelines for seniors? The new guidelines don't change anything if you're younger than 60. But if you're 60 or older, the target has moved up: your goal is to keep your blood pressure at 150/90 or lower. If you have kidney disease or diabetes, your goal used to be 130/80 or lower; now it's 140/90 or lower. What does a blood pressure reading look like? When you measure your blood pressure, you get two numbers, an upper and a lower number. Systolic blood pressure. This is the first, upper number. This is the highest level that the blood pressure reaches when the heart beats, forcing blood flow around the body. Diastolic pressure. The second number, or bottom number, is the lowest level the blood pressure reaches when the heart is resting between beats. What do these readings mean?

• 140/90mmHg or higher - you may have high blood pressure Most doctors use 140/90mmHg as the cutoff point for a diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension). This is the point at which your risk of serious health problems increases. Doctors may prescribe medication and advise you to change your lifestyle to lower your blood pressure.
• 120/80mmHg to 140/90mmHg - prehypertension Also called high normal blood pressure. This is not high blood pressure, but it is slightly higher than it should be and means you may be developing high blood pressure. See how you can make healthy changes in your lifestyle to lower it.
• 90/60mmHg to 120/80mmHg - ideal blood pressure Also called normal blood pressure. Your blood pressure reading is healthy. At this level, you have a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Living a healthy lifestyle will help you keep it in a healthy range.
• 90/60 mmHg or less - you may have low blood pressure Low blood pressure is usually not a problem, but sometimes it can make you feel weak or dizzy, or it can be a sign of another health problem.

Diagnosing high or low blood pressure Only one of the numbers needs to be higher than it should be to diagnose high blood pressure, and only one needs to be lower than it should be to diagnose low blood pressure. If the upper number is over 140 and the lower number is over 90, you can be diagnosed with high blood pressure, regardless of the second number. If the top number is below 90 and the bottom number is below 60, you can be diagnosed with low blood pressure. Use the table to see where your numbers are. If the upper number (systolic pressure) is consistently higher than 140 mmHg, but the lower number is healthy - this is called isolated systolic hypertension. If the lower number (diastolic pressure) is consistently higher than 90 mmHg, but the upper number is healthy - this is called isolated diastolic hypertension. Which number is more important in blood pressure? However, most studies show a higher risk of stroke and heart disease associated with higher systolic blood pressure compared to elevated diastolic pressure. This is especially true in people aged 50 and older, so doctors tend to monitor the top number more closely. What causes high blood pressure? Common factors that can lead to high blood pressure are: A diet high in salt, fat and/or cholesterol. Chronic illnesses such as kidney and hormone problems, diabetes and high cholesterol. Family history, especially if your parents or other close relatives have high blood pressure.