Relationship between age and high blood pressure ?

What is classed as high blood pressure?

There is a natural tendency for blood pressure to rise with age due to the reduced elasticity of the arterial system. Age is therefore one of the factors that needs to be taken into account in deciding whether a person's blood pressure is too high. In general terms, people with a systolic blood pressure consistently above 160mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure over 100mmHg need treatment to lower their blood pressure. People with slightly lower blood pressures (140-159mmHg systolic or 90-99mmHg diastolic) may also need treatment if they have a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, eg stroke or angina (chest pains).