Overview
Blood vessels become less elastic with age. The average blood pressure increases from 120/70 to 150/90 and may persist slightly high, even if treated. The blood vessels respond more slowly to a change in body position.
Review Date 7/21/2022
Updated by: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.