Diastolic Hypertension

Diastolic hypertension still badly prevails in the younger ages but later on in middle age it is Systolic and later it is pulse pressure. The rate of pulse pressure is the difference between the rate of systolic and diastolic pressures. The lowest level to which the rate of blood pressure falls between heartbeats is known as diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure makes up the second and lowest number of the familiar designation for blood pressure such as 120 over 80 where 80 is the diastolic.

When the heart beats, it pumps blood out into the very large blood vessels. These blood vessels are elastic and take up some of the force by expanding. Then while the heart muscle rests between beats the large vessels contract towards their normal size thus continuing to push blood around the body. In this way the intensity of blood pressure does not drop to zero between beats. Diastolic hypertension is an unwanted elevation of the lowest of the two blood pressure numbers that is the pressure between two heartbeats. The desirable level of diastolic pressure is about 75 mm Hg. Any rise of pressure above that number is associated with an increase in adverse events. An approximate principle is every 10 mm rise in diastolic pressure causes a doubling of incidence of adverse events such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and heart failure. This diastolic pressure is an exponential increase which is not compatible with long and healthy life.

For the elevations of systolic blood pressure, it takes a 20 mm Hg rise to double the incidence. Thus with every 20 mm rise in systolic blood pressure actually doubles the incidence of adverse events which is no doubt another exponential increase. Various related website and health books show they began measuring blood pressure only about one hundred years ago. Until the last few decades the medical profession thought that diastolic pressure was the most important interpreter of outcome. Recent medical studies have shown however that elevation of either systolic or diastolic alone is just as bad as if both are elevated. Again the most recent studies on blood pressure have demonstrated some other findings like at middle age less than 50 the diastolic blood pressure is probably the most important predictor of adverse outcome. But people should keep in mind that not many of the adverse events occur in this particular age group. At age 50-59 systolic blood pressure takes over as the most important predictor. Now the thing is that diastolic hypertension is not the most important aspect of high blood pressure in general and also that it is not to be ignored either. People have also come to know that by age 50 systolic becomes the most important and at 60 and over a new number, the Pulse Pressure, takes over. So people should forget their old adage that their blood pressure should be 100 plus their age. This was actually taught in the medical colleges. People just need to realize that recommendations change as they learn so they should try to keep up.

• Cassandra Bagley
• 31/12/2008, 12:59 AM
• 0 Comments