7/1/2020 Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age | Disabled World
Copyright Disabled-World.com
Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age
• Author: Disabled World : Contact: www.disabled-world.com
• Published: 2010-01-16 : (Rev. 2020-03-18)
Synopsis and Key Points:
• Examines the past ideal blood pressure reading of 100 plus your age versus todays so called blood
pressure targets.
• A former NASA astronaut and family doctor, says the 100+ age guideline for "normal" blood
pressure was around for decades.
• The goal of maintaining a blood pressure at or near 140/80 (now 115/75) is based on drug company
hype, not science.
Main Digest
Everyone has different blood pressure readings, some are high, some low and most are in the middle.
Many doctors have long held the belief that an acceptable systolic reading of blood pressure is 100
plus your age.
Modern physicians say normal blood pressure (https://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-
charts/bloodpressurechart.php) takes no account of age.
A reading of 120mm/80mm is normal regardless, according to Mayo Clinic staff. But early 20th
century blood pressure cuff users followed a "100-plus-age" rule of thumb to determine what was
normal for age. Early 21st century doctors accepted increased "normal rates" as patients age, but
within a much more limited range, according to the Mayo Clinic.
So Just What is High Blood Pressure?
Despite accepting the 100 plus your age blood pressure reading in the past, today's medical textbooks
are arguing over exact values and new blood pressure standards come out every few years placing the
desirable blood pressure target values ever lower.
Is medicine fueling this war or might it just be the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry?
An adult African American male patient and a Caucasian female nurse wearing a lab coat. She is
testing him for high blood pressure and they are both looking at the indication on the measuring
instrument - Source: National Cancer Institute - Creator: Linda Bartlett (Photographer).
https://www.disabled-world.com/health/cardiovascular/hypertension/bp-100-plus-age.php 1/4
7/1/2020 Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age | Disabled World
To lower blood pressure readings just 5 points on the blood pressure scale can mean billions of
dollars. Among the top ten drugs prescribed in the U.S, blood pressure (hypertension) medications
ensnare millions into the prescription drug trap.
A former NASA astronaut and family doctor, says the 100+ age guideline for "normal" blood pressure
was around for decades. He also wonders if modern views on what is normal blood pressure arise
from drug company involvement.
"In the 1970s, the target limit for initiating drug treatment was 160/95. This then became 140/90,
then 120/90, and recently, 115/75 , with a large number of organizations listed as in
agreement," he says.
Blood pressures tend to rise naturally with age in both men and women so that a 130 systolic blood
pressure of a 30-year old (roughly 100 plus the age) becomes 150 in a fifty year old and 160 in a 60
year old with male blood pressure readings exceeding female by around 10 mm Hg.
» The systolic pressure is the pressure peak with each beat of the heart (systole).
» The diastolic pressure is the basal pressure that is in the blood vessels during relaxation of the heart
(diastole).
In a dramatic reversal in policy, on May 4, 2000, an expert committee announced that systolic
pressure is the most accurate blood pressure measurement for older adults. The new guidelines hold
true for all those with hypertension who are over age 40 - a group that makes up the majority of 50
million Americans with the disease.
Since blood pressure elevation is associated with increased all-cause death rates, lowering of blood
pressures by whatever means can only be good for humanity - can't it?
Well, the pharmaceutical industry loves it - this focus makes them billions of dollars.
The medical community loves it - it's good for business and seems ethically correct, and the public
likes it.
So began the worldwide focus on lowering blood pressure, the evolution of thousands of drugs
designed to lower blood pressure, and of course, the beginning of a still growing multi-billion dollar
business.
High blood pressure, as defined by the drug industry and medical doctors, is not an instant death
sentence.
The goal of maintaining a blood pressure at or near 140/80 (now 115/75) is based on drug company
hype, not science. These numbers are designed to sell drugs by converting healthy people into
patients.
Prior to this ideal numbers for normal healthy blood pressure were based on the Framingham Heart
Study (www.framinghamheartstudy.org), where "normal" hypertension was a reading of systolic
120 and diastolic 80 - and anything up to systolic 140 was considered acceptable or high/normal.
https://www.disabled-world.com/health/cardiovascular/hypertension/bp-100-plus-age.php 2/4
7/1/2020 Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age | Disabled World
If high blood pressure were dangerous, then lowering it with hypertension drugs would surely result in
an increase in lifespan (https://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-charts/life-expectancy-statistics.php) ? Yet,
clinical trials involving hypertension medication show NO increased lifespan among users when
compared to non-users...
👉 Check your blood pressure reading according to age, and compare your numbers with the latest
blood pressure recommendations (https://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-charts/bloodpressurechart.php) .
Related Documents
1 - Pulmonary Hypertension: Symptoms : Groups : Risks : Treatments : Disabled World
(2009/01/27)
2 - Dark Chocolate Can Lower Blood Pressure : BioMed Central (2010/06/28)
3 - Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age : Disabled World (2010/01/16)
4 - Possible Cause of Salt-induced Hypertension : Case Western Reserve University (2011/04/14)
5 - Redefining Normal Blood Pressure Reading : Springer (2011/03/09)
6 - Researchers Pave the Way for Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension : Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada (2010/10/24)
7 - High Blood Pressure a Preventable Cause of Heart Attacks : James Massey (2010/09/17)
Important:
• Disabled World uses cookies to help provide and enhance our services to you and tailor some content
and advertising. By continuing you agree to the Disabled World Cookie Policy (https://www.disabled-
world.com/info/cookies.php) , Privacy Policy (https://www.disabled-world.com/info/privacy.php) and Terms of
Service (https://www.disabled-world.com/info/terms.php) .
• Disabled World is strictly a news and information website provided for general informational
purpose only and does not constitute medical advice. Materials presented are in no way meant to be a
substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should they be construed as
such. Any 3rd party offering or advertising on disabled-world.com does not constitute endorsement by
Disabled World.
https://www.disabled-world.com/health/cardiovascular/hypertension/bp-100-plus-age.php 3/4
7/1/2020 Blood Pressure 100 Plus your Age | Disabled World
• Please report (https://www.disabled-world.commailto:[email protected]?
subject=Disabled%20World%20Error%20Report&body=%0D%0APage%20Reported%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disabled
-world.com%2Fhealth%2Fcardiovascular%2Fhypertension%2Fbp-100-plus-
age.php%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20describe%20the%20problem%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A) outdated or inaccurate
information to us.
Copyright Disabled-World.com
https://www.disabled-world.com/health/cardiovascular/hypertension/bp-100-plus-age.php 4/4
