It’s common knowledge that blood pressure usually goes up as people get older—from childhood through to middle age. But what happens to blood pressure in the later years of life has not always been clear.
For a long time, doctors noticed that some older adults had lower blood pressure before they died, but no one was sure why. Many thought it was due to medications or serious illness.
Now, researchers from the University of Exeter have discovered something new. They studied thousands of people in the UK who had died at age 60 or older. Their research showed that blood pressure actually begins to fall about 14 years before a person dies.
This drop happens not just in people who are very sick, but also in those who are otherwise healthy. This suggests that a decline in blood pressure is a natural part of the aging process, not just a sign that someone is ill or taking strong medication.
To carry out the study, the research team looked at the medical records of more than 46,000 people. These records included people who had a range of health conditions, such as heart disease, dementia, and diabetes, as well as those who had no serious illnesses.
The researchers wanted to find out whether falling blood pressure was linked only to illness or if it was part of a bigger pattern.
What they found was surprising. While the most noticeable blood pressure drops happened in people with serious health problems—like dementia, heart failure, or people who had lost a lot of weight—the same trend also showed up in people who were not seriously ill.
Even people who had been taking medicine to treat high blood pressure saw their blood pressure go down in the years before they died.
This discovery is important for several reasons. First, it shows that a drop in blood pressure is not always a warning sign of a new illness. It can also be a normal part of aging. Second, it gives doctors new information to think about when treating older patients.
If a patient’s blood pressure starts to fall, it might not always mean they need stronger medication or more tests. It might just be part of their body’s natural process as they get closer to the end of life.
Still, the researchers stress that this does not mean older adults should stop taking their blood pressure medicine or ignore high readings. Managing blood pressure is still very important, especially in preventing strokes and heart attacks. But this new information could help doctors decide when and how to adjust treatment plans for elderly patients.
More studies are needed to understand exactly why blood pressure starts to fall in the last years of life. Is it because of changes in the heart and blood vessels? Is it linked to the brain or nervous system slowing down? Scientists are still working on these questions.
The study was led by Professor George Kuchel and was published in a respected medical journal called JAMA Internal Medicine. It adds to our growing understanding of how the body changes with age and may help improve care for older people in the future.
This kind of research helps us see that aging is a complex process. Not every change in the body means something is wrong. Sometimes, it’s just part of life’s natural course. And the more we understand about these changes, the better care we can give to people in their final years.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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