Maintain a chart of your family members and immediate relatives who have high blood pressure.
If your parents have high blood pressure, you are at a greater risk of developing hypertension. The increase may also be due to hormone therapy that some menopausal women undergo. Sometimes, the hormonal imbalance may cause weight gain, which in turn may elevate blood pressure. Normal blood pressure can be maintained by following a balanced diet, and an exercise regimen.īlood pressure levels could fluctuate during menopause, due to a fall in the levels of estrogen, which is a hormone that is partly responsible for maintaining blood pressure. This decreases the lumen area of the artery, which in turn raises the blood pressure. This is because of the deposition of fat on the inner linings of arteries. Obesity makes one susceptible to high blood pressure. Frequent blood pressure checks are required during pregnancy to prevent preeclampsia, which is a condition characterized by high blood pressure and fluid retention. This may lead to an increase in the blood pressure. On the other hand, as blood provides all the nutrients and oxygen to the embryo, the heart has to work overtime to pump blood to the placenta. The progesterone hormone, which prepares the uterus for pregnancy, dilates the blood vessels, thereby lowering the blood pressure. Following a healthy diet, and saying no to alcohol and smoking can certainly help.īlood pressure often fluctuates during pregnancy. To maintain a healthy blood pressure, you must maintain a healthy weight. The use of birth control pills or intake of certain substances like caffeine or nicotine could also affect the blood pressure. Risk of high blood pressure increases with the lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, stress, etc. It is not possible to come up with a normal range as the overall health may vary from one individual to another.īlood pressure levels could get affected by the lifestyle choices we make. Please note that the table mentions blood pressure only up to a certain age because with old age a lot of factors come into play. Given below is an age-wise average blood pressure range. After the age of 50, one in every two women maybe affected by high blood pressure. The fluctuations in blood pressure levels could be associated with factors such as age, lifestyle, pregnancy, weight, menopause, family history, etc.Īverage blood pressure increases with age. Making lifestyle changes can certainly lower the risk of hypertension in these people.įactors affecting Blood Pressure in Women People with blood pressure in this range are diagnosed with prehypertension. Note that medical help must also be sought if blood pressure consistently falls between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg. Note: If blood pressure readings are often above 140/90 mm Hg, one is diagnosed with hypertension. You can go through the following chart to know the normal blood pressure range for women. High blood pressure and low blood pressure are medically referred to as hypertension and hypotension respectively. Blood pressure could be an indicator of the pumping capacity of the heart, which is why medical help must be sought if blood pressure levels are abnormal.
The first figure refers to the systolic pressure, while the second figure represents the diastolic pressure. Ideally, the blood pressure reading should be 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). On the other hand, diastolic pressure is the minimum pressure exerted by blood on the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats. Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure exerted by blood on the arteries during the contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. It is measured in two parts: systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
It is often measured along with the vital signs like pulse rate, etc. Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries.