What is Diastolic Hypertension

Defining diastolic hypertension

Diastolic blood pressure is the blood pressure number on the bottom of the fraction that represents the total of the blood pressure number. 

In other words, in a blood pressure of 120/80, the diastolic blood pressure is the number represented by "80". 

What Does The Diastolic Blood Pressure Measurement Mean?

While the systolic (upper number in the fraction) pressure represents the pressure on your arteries as your heart contracts and pushes blood poured into your arteries, the diastolic pressure is the pressure that is present in your arteries after the contraction has happened and the heart has relaxed. 

In other words, with every beat of your heart, you have one number that represents pressure in your arteries during the contraction (systolic) and one number that represents the pressure on your arteries after the contraction (diastolic).

Why Is The Diastolic Blood Pressure Measurement Important?

When you measure blood pressure, both your systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements are important. Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the United States, and it is also often a "silent" disease, meaning that there are no symptoms with it. However, it can cause severe damage, including damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc. In fact, about every major organ and system in the body, including the arteries themselves.

Previously, it was thought that having diastolic hypertension (a high diastolic blood pressure) was a much greater concern than having a high systolic pressure. However, recent studies now suggest that at least for people 50 and older, high systolic pressures are of greater concern than are high diastolic pressures. 

Nonetheless, diastolic hypertension may still be of greater concern to people under the age of 50.
 

Low Diastolic Blood Pressure

 For best results, when the doctor or nurse takes your blood pressure, try not to be nervous; this can artificially raise blood pressure. Sit comfortably and relax as much as you can. You can also lie down if you wish.

To take your blood pressure, the nurse or doctor will wrap a blood pressure cuff around your upper arm, just above your elbow. This cuff will fit snugly; the cuff itself is inflatable, and it will be tightened while the doctor places a stethoscope on the crook of your arm and watches a mercury column with numbers. Then, he or she begins to slowly deflate the cuff while listening through the stethoscope to your pulse.

Both the diastolic and systolic blood pressure numbers are usually taken during a blood pressure measurement.

The systolic pressure is the number at which the doctor first hears your pulse as he or she is letting the air out of the cuff; the diastolic pressure is the number at which the doctor first hears your pulse "disappear" when he or she is listening. These two numbers give your full blood pressure reading.

You can also measure your own blood pressure at home with automatic blood pressure gauges; these gauges do not require the ability to listen through a stethoscope or watch a mercury column. Instead, they are completely automatic.  

Learn about isolated systolic hypertension

A healthy diastolic pressure is generally considered to be 80 or below for most people. A healthy blood pressure is important to maintain good cardiovascular health, and to maintain the health of organs that can experience damage from prolonged high blood pressure.

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