Medical review and sources
Blood pressure advice for older adults needs care. Here is what we use and what has been checked.
Review status: not yet reviewed
The wording on this site has not yet been checked by a doctor. Treat it as general information only until a named reviewer signs it off here.
Where the numbers come from
- 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline (published 2025-08-14). ACC summary of the 2025 guideline. 2025 guideline on PubMed.
- 2024 ESC Guidelines for elevated blood pressure and hypertension (published 2024-08-30). 2024 ESC Guidelines (European Heart Journal). ESC guideline page.
Every threshold is read from one data file (data/guidelines.json). The chart colours, the result and the printed pages all use the same file, so they cannot disagree.
What a reviewer must confirm before launch
- Each category threshold matches the cited guideline.
- The older-adult target wording for the US and European guidelines.
- The low-reading limit (currently below 90/60).
- The “high top number only” definition (currently 140 or higher on top and below 90 on the bottom).
- The standing-drop limits (20 on top or 10 on the bottom within 3 minutes).
- The severe-reading warning and every “for your age” message (currently placeholder text).
Rules we follow
- We never set a personal target. Your doctor may set a different target for you.
- We never suggest starting, changing or stopping medicine.
- Low readings and standing drops always mention falls and when to call a doctor.
- One reading is not a diagnosis.