Blood pressure

[mkjuk]

my systolic is average 128 but diastolic is low 63 - what does this mean? why is this?

[Goodsoulette]

systolic is the pressure in your arteries as your heart pushes the blood through ( and this is typically 100 plus your age) and diastolic is the reading of pressure when your heart relaxes.

Unless you are feeling light headed or dizzy I w2ouldnt worry about it. Plenty of people function with lower blood pressures and have less chance of heart disease because of this.

[cazzz1975]

I have a similar bp reading, normally 115-130 over 60-69

[Octavius]

The change in blood pressure as you age is caused by progressive stiffening of the aorta and its main branches. In young people, the aorta is very elastic and expands easily when blood enters it, so systolic pressure is low. The blood that stays in the aorta during the heartbeat moves out of it between heartbeats as the aorta returns to its original size before the next heartbeat. That blood flow contributes to the diastolic blood pressure level.

As the aorta stiffens with age, it expands less when blood from the heart enters it, causing higher systolic blood pressure. Also because of the stiffening, more of the blood in the aorta and its main branches is forced into other smaller blood vessels when the heart beats, thus, less is present between heartbeats to support the diastolic blood pressure, which becomes lower.

Treatment of high blood pressure in older people generally focuses on lowering the systolic blood pressure. Usually, lower systolic blood pressure is also associated with lower pulse pressure. So, even though your diastolic blood pressure is low, your doctor may suggest treatment toward bringing down your systolic blood pressure if they feel it is necessary to do so.

[whiffey]

I think it means you are very lucky. A low diastolic indicates you have plenty in reserve. Athletes tend to have low diastolics, Ayrton Senna's BP at rest was rumoured to be virtually unmeasurable !

[tiggertan]

I'm 28 and my last blood pressure reading was 102/60 and I was told that it was very healthy and nothing to worry about. I was one 60/20, they had to measure it 3 times! I felt fine though.

[Scylax]

The systolic pressure can alter dramatically in
a few seconds, by eg. just walking upstairs, or
climbing out of bed.

The diastolic is a little more stable, but will
change with, eg. an alteration in mood.

Both will respond to a visit to the GPs surgery;
this is known as the 'white-coat syndrome'. There
is a moral there, somewhere.....