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High diastolic blood pressure is one indication that an individual is facing a significant health problem. Learn what it means to have high diastolic readings.
When doctors are determining health, a high diastolic blood pressure may be an indication of trouble. In order to learn what your blood pressure is, doctors will use a device called a sphygmomanometer. This device helps to measure the amount of pressure within the arteries of the heart at two times: when the heart is pumping and when the heart is resting.
Diastolic blood pressure is the measurement of the amount of pressure that is exerted on the walls of the arteries by the heart when the heart is resting, or in between beats. The other number that is used is the systolic blood pressure. This is the measurement of the amount of pressure within the heart during a beat.
Blood Pressure Numbers
To determine if someone has high blood pressure, doctors observe and calculate the amount of pressure in the heart's arteries at any given time. The systolic blood pressure is listed first, and in a healthy person is at or below 120. The diastolic blood pressure is written second and it should be at or under 80 to be considered normal.
High Numbers?
When there is a higher reading from either type of blood pressure, doctors label the person has having high blood pressure. If the numbers are above 120/80 but are under 139/89, the individual has pre-hypertension. Anything above these numbers is high blood pressure. If one of the numbers is above a healthy level and the other is under that level, doctors label the condition as high blood pressure.
It Does Matter
When it comes to having high blood pressure, the numbers do make a difference.
High blood pressure can:
- Lead to heart failure
- Cause blindness
- Hamper the kidneys
- Cause a stroke
In situations where you do have high diastolic blood pressure, the good news is that there are treatments that can lower that number. However, doctors do not often focus on just the diastolic of systolic pressure individually. Reducing both numbers is important.
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