What is the minimum systolic blood pressure for preschoolers (3 to 5 years)?

• A. Greater than 75 systolic
• B. Greater than 70 systolic
• C. Greater than 80 systolic
• D. Greater than 85 systolic

Answer: (A)

In preschoolers, the lower limit of a normal systolic blood pressure is estimated using a simple rule: SBP should be greater than 70 plus twice the child’s age in years. For ages 3 to 5, that yields about 76 mmHg for a 3-year-old and about 80 mmHg for a 5-year-old. Across the entire 3–5 year range, the practical lower cutoff is around the mid-70s, so the best single value that reflects this range is greater than 75 mmHg. Values at or below this threshold suggest potential hypotension and poor perfusion, while higher values within this range are generally acceptable for age. The other numbers either fall below the lower limit for the youngest preschoolers or exceed the minimal acceptable threshold for the whole 3–5 year age band.