How can age affect blood pressure?

As individuals age, physiological changes in the cardiovascular system can lead to an increase in blood pressure. One significant factor is the rigidity of the arteries that often occurs with age due to atherosclerosis and other age-related changes, which decreases their ability to expand and contracts during each heartbeat. Additionally, older individuals may experience changes in the balance of hormones that regulate blood pressure, as well as increased peripheral vascular resistance. Consequently, it is common to find that systolic blood pressure tends to rise with age, making higher blood pressure a frequent finding among older adults. This understanding is vital for the management of health in aging populations and aligns with preventive measures against hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.