Q. When I am monitoring my blood pressure, which number is most important — top, bottom, or both? A. While both numbers in a blood pressure reading are essential for diagnosing and treating high blood pressure, doctors primarily focus on the top number, also known as systolic pressure.
The top number is more important because it gives a better idea of your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Having a raised systolic blood pressure but normal or low diastolic blood pressure is called Isolated Systolic Hypertension (ISH).
Systolic blood pressure is the best way to predict future cardiovascular events and death, irrespective of age, according to new research. But in younger people, diastolic blood pressure could still be important.
Over time, isolated diastolic hypotension can cause heart failure. In fact, it may be one of the most common causes of heart failure. Pay attention to your diastolic number when you have your blood pressure checked. If your lower number is 60 or below, ask a healthcare professional about it.
If you have a blood pressure reading that is above 180 in the top number or above 120 in the bottom number, you may be having a hypertensive crisis, which is a medical emergency. Blood pressure this high can damage your blood vessels and could lead to a stroke.
Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.
Over the years, research has found that both numbers are equally important in monitoring heart health. However, most studies show a greater risk of stroke and heart disease related to higher systolic pressures compared with elevated diastolic pressures.
Diastolic heart failure may correlate better with prognosis for symptoms and survival than traditional indices of systolic function. The presence of predominantly diastolic dysfunction in large numbers of patients with the diagnosis of congestive heart failure has important therapeutic implications.
The diastolic pressure of an adult should typically be 60–80mm Hg, and if the number goes above this, it's considered hypertension. However, if your blood pressure goes over 180/120mm Hg, this is dangerous, and you should seek medical attention immediately.
Solely relying on your first blood pressure reading may lead to an inaccurate diagnosis because it's usually higher than the second reading. Your doctor or nurse should take more than one reading and compare the results for better accuracy.
Blood pressure has a daily pattern. Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.
Stage 1 high blood pressure (a diagnosis of hypertension) is now between 130 and 139 systolic or between 80 and 89 diastolic (the bottom number). Stage 2 high blood pressure is now over 140 systolic or 90 diastolic.
Diastolic heart failure occurs if the left ventricle muscle becomes stiff or thickened. The heart must increase pressure inside the ventricle to fill it. Over time, this causes blood to build up inside the left atrium, and then in the lungs, leading to fluid congestion and symptoms of heart failure.
Lifestyle: Smoking, heavy use of alcohol increase the risk of diastolic hypertension. Diets low in potassium and high in salt can increase diastolic blood pressure. A sedentary lifestyle can make you overweight, leading to high blood pressure. Stress, both mental and physical, can temporarily raise blood pressure.
Both systolic and diastolic heart failure affect the left ventricle. In systolic heart failure, the heart muscle is weak, and the ventricle can't contract normally. With diastolic heart failure, the heart muscle is stiff, and the left ventricle can't relax normally.
Decades of research have indicated that high systolic blood pressure is more likely than diastolic pressure to predict heart disease, but now, a new study finds that both numbers in blood pressure readings have a strong association with heart attack and stroke risk.
Your doctor may recommend a blood test to check for B-type natriuretic peptide, a protein that the heart secretes to keep blood pressure stable. These levels increase with heart failure. A blood test may also be performed to look for substances that are associated with heart and lung damage.
Isolated systolic hypertension is when your systolic blood pressure is high, but your diastolic blood pressure is normal. It can occur naturally with age or can be caused by specific health conditions, including anemia, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism.
Can anxiety cause high diastolic blood pressure? A lack of research suggests that anxiety triggers increases in diastolic blood pressure alone. However, anxiety may elevate diastolic blood pressure in some people.
If your systolic blood pressure is higher than 130 but your diastolic blood pressure is under 80, that's called isolated systolic hypertension. It's the most common kind of high blood pressure in older people.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Caffeine may cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure, even if you don't have high blood pressure. It's unclear what causes this spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure response to caffeine differs from person to person.
diastolic: 90 mm Hg or higher. High blood pressure (hypertension) systolic: 130 mm Hg or higher. diastolic: 80 mm Hg or higher. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, talk with your health care team about your blood pressure levels and how these levels affect your treatment plan.