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Older Adults and High Blood Pressure
A common form of high blood pressure in older adults is isolated systolic hypertension (ISH).
ISH is high blood pressure, but only the top (systolic) number is high (140 or higher). ISH can be as harmful as high blood pressure in which both numbers are high.
ISH is the most common form of high blood pressure for older Americans. About 2 out of 3 people over age 60 with high blood pressure have ISH.
You may have ISH and feel fine. As with other types of high blood pressure, ISH often causes no symptoms. To find out if you have ISH--or any type of high blood pressure--get your blood pressure checked.
If not treated, ISH can cause damage to your arteries and to body organs. ISH is treated the same way as high blood pressure in which both systolic and diastolic pressures are high: by making changes in your health habits and with blood pressure medicines, if needed.
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Older Adults
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