Because of this, it’s still unclear whether the risks and benefits of lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 130 mm Hg are the same for people aged 80 years and older as they are for people aged 65 to 80. But, people 80 years or older often also have multiple chronic health conditions, can be frail, take several medicines, and could have cognitive problems. The 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association blood pressure guidelines recommend that most people aged 65 or older maintain their systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) at less than 130 mmHg. But if it’s not treated, this condition can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and other serious problems, including a risk for dementia. In fact, you might not even realize you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is sometimes called the “silent killer” because it produces few, if any, symptoms. Since the lifetime chance for developing high blood pressure is at least 70 percent by age 80, more and more people will be at risk for the health problems that high blood pressure can cause. The number of people who are 80-years-old and older is on the rise, and will account for nearly 10 percent of the whole U.S. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Research Summary