High blood pressure with a normal pulse rate is a common ailment of older adults.
A common ailment in older adults is high blood pressure. Your blood pressure and pulse rate will rise during exercise or stressful situations. When you relax and pulse goes back to normal, so should your blood pressure. If your blood pressure remains high when your pulse is normal, then it means you have a cardiovascular disease.
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force at which your heart pumps blood through the walls of your arteries. The top number, the systolic, is when the heart is at its apex beat and the bottom number, the diastolic, is when the heart is at rest. When the heart works harder than normal, the pulse rate and blood pressure go up because the body needs more oxygenated blood. This happens during exercise, times of stress and when health problems are present. It is normal to have a higher blood pressure when your pulse rate is accelerated.
High Blood Pressure at Rest
When the body is at rest and the pulse is at a resting pace, the blood pressure should be within normal resting range, about 120/80. When the pulse is at a resting pace and the blood pressure is above the norm, it means the heart is working harder to pump the blood through the body, but it is not under duress and causing the heart rate to go up. This is a sign of cardiovascular disease and you should contact your physician. A change in diet or weight loss can often lower high blood pressure, or there are medications available to help lower your blood pressure.
Symptoms
High blood pressure is often called the silent killer because often there is no outward sign that is it high. High blood pressure does not usually happen suddenly, but instead increases gradually over time. You may feel no different as the months go by, but your blood pressure is steadily rising. Often the first sign of high blood pressure is found during a routine doctor's examination, where blood pressure is a standard measurement taken before almost every visit. If the pressure rises suddenly, you can experience dizziness, throbbing in your ears and possibly loss of consciousness.
Consequences
High blood pressure puts you at greater risk for a heart attack and stroke. The heart is working extra hard to supply the body what it needs, which puts a wear on the heart muscle. It also means the pathways in the arteries are restricted, causing the blood to be pushed through at a higher pressure. This is often caused by plaque and buildup in the arteries. Eventually, the blockage could reach a point where almost no blood can get through or a chunk of the plague breaks off; both can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Who is at Risk
Genetics can be a factor in high blood pressure. If your immediate family members have a history of high blood pressure, then you are more likely to have it as well. People who are overweight are more likely to have high blood pressure because they are more likely to eat unhealthy foods and not exercise. Age can also be a factor in high blood pressure as older people are more likely to have it than younger people.
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