Hi, thank you for your question. A normal blood pressure for all adults above the age of 18 is less than 120/80 mmHg. A blood pressure between 120/80 and 140/90 is considered in the higher end of normal blood pressure.

Hypertensive patients below the age of 80 should aim to have blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg. If they are 80 years old or older, they should aim to achieve a blood pressure less than 150/90 mmHg.

However, if they have other medical conditions, blood pressure target for this group of people will be stricter. Aim to achieve blood pressure less than 130/80 mmHg, if they are younger than 65 years old or if they have diabetes, kidney impairment, heart disease, stroke, transient ischaemic attack (ministroke) or proteinuria (presence of protein in urine) 300 mg/day. Aim to achieve blood pressure less than 125/75 mmHg, if they have proteinuria >1g regardless of blood sugar level.

The doctor will advice patients on lifestyle changes and the suitable medications according to their age, severity of condition and overall health. If patients have already been started on medication and failed to achieve the targeted blood pressure, their doctor may change the medications they are taking or increase the dose.

Once targeted blood pressure is achieved, patients should continue to follow up with their doctor every 3 to 6 months.
Hypertension is known as a ‘silent killer’. It can lead to further complications, especially coronary heart disease. Keeping blood pressure within the recommended limits can help to lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease. At the same time, it also prevents other complications of hypertension, such as kidney disease, vision loss and dementia.

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