Medical Trial Suggests Systolic Blood Pressure of 120 or Less Could Benefit the Elderly

Under current guidelines, a systolic blood pressure reading between 140-150 is considered healthy. A national trial completed in late 2015, however, showed that reducing systolic blood pressure to around 120 can have significant benefits for the elderly, including a reduced chance of heart disease and a 32 percent drop in mortality rates. Dr. Mark Supiano, executive director of the University of Utah Center on Aging, joins The Scope to talk about the new guidelines and how patients can work with their doctor to lower their blood pressure.