Pregnancy: Progesterone relaxes the walls of blood vessels, causing decreased peripheral vascular resistance.Exercise: Physical activity increases BP, but regular exercises can keep BP in the lower range of normal.

Stress: BP increases during stress, emotions, fear, and anger situations due to stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.Diurnal variation: BP is lower in the morning and gradually increases throughout the day.Weight: Being overweight or obese increases your risk of high BP.Genetics/family history: A family history puts you at risk of high BP.Gender: Women after puberty have low BP than men, whereas, after menopause, women tend high BP.Age: Blood pressure (BP) tend to increase with age.Children (6 to 15 years): 70 to 100 BPM.Adults (18 years and older): 60 to 100 BPM.Normal resting heart rates are as follows: Heart rate or pulse is the number of times the heart beats per minute (BPM). However, according to the new guidelines issued by the AHA, the goal BP for all adults is now less than 130/80 mm Hg. Systolic refers to “contraction,” that is, the pressure exerted on the blood vessels when the heart contracts diastolic refers to “dilatation,” that is when the heart is at rest and dilates between the beats.Īccording to the American Heart Association (AHA), normal BP in adults is 120/80 mm Hg. The first (upper) number refers to systolic BP, and the second (lower) number refers to diastolic BP. The American Heart Association outlines that a normal blood pressure reading of 120/80 mm Hg for adults.īlood pressure (BP) is the force that the blood column exerts against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood with every beat.īP is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and it is composed of two numbers (fraction).

Pulse pressure