As we get older, our blood pressure tends to slightly rise to manage the increased demand for nutrients and oxygen. Disabled-world.com explains that blood pressure refers to the amount of pressure of the blood that is circulating as it moves through arteries, veins, capillaries and arterioles.

Definition

Blood pressure is a term used in reference to arterial pressure. Arterial pressure refers to the pressure in the larger arteries that take blood away from the heart.

How It Works

According to the Mayo Clinic, the first (upper) number, which is systolic pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second (lower) number is your diastolic pressure; it measures the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats.

Ideal Numbers

A woman over age 50 should, optimally, have a systolic pressure of, at a minimum, 116; average, 129, and at a maximum, 142. Her diastolic pressure should be 81, at a minimum; 85, average and 89, at a maximum, according to Disabledworld.com.

Calculating

The standard for many years for calculating what blood pressure should ideally be at any given age has been 100 plus your age for men (systolic pressure) and 100 plus your age and minus 10 for women. Some physicians don’t agree with this method of calculating optimal blood pressure.

Hypertension

After the age of 50, the Mayo Clinic explains that the systolic reading is the most important. When your diastolic pressure is normal but your systolic pressure is high, this indicates the occurrence of isolated systolic hypertension, which is the most common kind of high blood pressure found in people over the age of 50.