I’m an almost-34-year-old woman, with lower than average blood pressure. Is this a reason for any concern? I’m not in particularly good physical shape (i.e. I rarely work out) and usually have a fairy low energy level. I’m also on the birth control pill, which usually raises blood pressure. So I’m just curious … is low blood pressure a sign of any health problems? (I’m sorry I can’t give specifics about mine … it’s usually about 110 systolic and say 70 diastolic).
Thanks,
S.
Mine was about 80 over 60 for most of my adult life (I’m almost 48). My doctors were never alarmed. I weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 - 100 lbs. until the last couple years (I’m now about 105). But I do think it has something to do with your low energy level. I was always very tired. I think my BP has gone up in the last year or so. It’s not nearly as low as it was.
IANADoctor, but I will be in a couple years. 110/70 is not low blood pressure. It’s perfect. 120/80 is considered to be high normal now.
Assuming you feel and function well, a pressure lower than 110/70 is still not anything to worry about unless it had dropped abruptly.
Lower blood pressure means less wear and tear on your arteries, so enjoy! You have a much lower risk of heart disease.
That’s a wonderful blood pressure. Not abnormally low. A great number to be at.
A rough rule of thumb is that if one’s blood pressure is high enough that one is not feeling light-headed upon standing, or with doing the acts of daily living along with moderate exercise, then one’s blood pressure is not too low.
I’ve seen patients do just fine with systolic pressures in the 80’s and diastolics in the 40’s. Of course in some other patients, that blood pressure means they’re fixing to die.
QtM, MD
This wasn’t posted as a poll but I just wanted to chime in that I am another reasonably healthy low BP person. I don’t know the exact values but I think they are somewhere in between Kalhoun’s and Stanz’s. The person taking it always remarks on it but my doctors have never seemed concerned.
I wish I could say it is because I am in such perfect cardiovascular health but that would be a dirty lie. It is totally genetic because I am in terrible shape and both my parents have low BP. I am also often tired FWIW. Even at times in my life when I was in good shape I never had a lot of extra energy.
Coincidentally, I was wondering about this very question over the weekend. I’ve always had pretty low blood pressure, and when I was younger I would often get light-headed if I stood up quickly (my grandfather was the same way). That disappeared for many years after I had children, when I was pretty overweight, but my blood pressure never got higher than 115/80. I’ve been doing very regular exercise for just over a year now, and I’m in the best shape of my life, my blood pressure is still low normal…but now I often get dizzy when I stand up. Is this something I should consult my doctor about or can I safely ignore it as long as I feel fine otherwise?
I’ve got the 110/70 blood pressure, too - have had it for years. According to the FAA, which puts me through a physical every couple of years for your safety as well as my own, that’s just fine and dandy. The most I’ve got is the caution mentioned by Qadgop - if you pass out when you stand up, it’s too low, if not, you’re OK.
Given that I sometimes spend a half an hour or so on the weekends pulling up to 2 g’s for the heck of it with no ill effect, I doubt very much my “low” blood pressure under the normal 1 g of daily living is going to be a problem.
I’m in the Low Blood Pressure group as well. It was only an issue once when a doctor gave me something to control headaches (long story).
Outside of that the only problem with my low blood pressure is my laid back attitude about things. I’m not very wound so most things just roll off me. Something major will happen and I’m always like “oh yeah, look at that shurg”
I was on the phone one time with a friend and my cat tipped over a rather large vase I had made. CRASH! I just kept talking. My friend asked what that crash was. I said “Remember that vase I made a few months back? Well, it seems I don’t have it anymore”
I don’t know if the laid back attitude is directly related to blood pressure, but with the lower energy I always have I would suspect it is.
I know just what you guys mean. My blood pressure has always been pretty low, as well as my energy level. Heart rate is low as well. Just within the past year or so I get the lightheadedness when I stand. I hope this dosen’t turn into any kind of a health problem.