What is Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure?

Blood Pressure

In THis Post

Doctor taking male patients blood pressure in hospital setting

Every time you go to the doctor’s office, a nurse or MA will take your blood pressure to keep tabs on your cardiovascular health. They might say your blood pressure is a little high, which is often the case in the doctor’s office for several reasons. But while we all shoot for 120/80, what do those two numbers mean, and why is it important?

Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps it throughout the body. It’s recorded as systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number).

Your systolic blood pressure is the maximum pressure in the arteries when your heart contracts. This means the force with which your heart pushes blood. Diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. So, each “thump” gives us your systolic pressure, and the pause between gives you your diastolic.

Normal Blood Pressure Readings

A normal blood pressure reading is usually around 120/80. Consistently high readings, with a systolic of 140 and/or a diastolic of 90 or higher, can be a sign of hypertension (high blood pressure). The long-term effects of hypertension include an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. To be fair, most patients experience relatively higher than normal blood pressure readings at their doctor’s offices. This might be a result of one or more issues. Maybe they were in a rush to get to the office, flustered by a recent event, or suffer from white coat syndrome and are just nervous about being there. Blood pressure readings can vary dramatically over the day because of emotional and even hormonal changes.

Causes of High Blood Pressure Readings

There are many potential reasons for high blood pressure readings, some of which are as simple as emotional or physical changes. In contrast, others can result from a more significant underlying concern. The most common reasons for abnormally high blood pressure readings include:

Emotional changes
Physical exertion
What you’ve eaten
Excess weight and obesity
Atherosclerosis or the narrowing of arteries
Metabolic disease
Age
Family history

These possible risk factors should be discussed with your cardiologist to understand whether intervention is necessary for your high blood pressure. We have many effective medications to address high blood pressure as well as procedural interventions for more serious concerns.

Checking the Spread

Sometimes, your numbers might look like they’re in the healthy range, but they’re too close or too far apart. If your systolic and diastolic numbers are too close together, known as narrow pulse pressure, it might indicate poor heart function or stiffness in the arteries. Readings too far apart, known as high pulse pressure, may signal potential cardiovascular issues like anemia, arterial stiffness, infection, or valve (inside your heart) problems. That’s one of the many reasons why it is so important to monitor your blood pressure regularly.

A Note on Home Monitoring

If you notice changes in how you feel and think it might be because of your blood pressure (too high or too low), your primary care physician or cardiologist may suggest home blood pressure testing. Keep a journal of your blood pressure at least twice a day, taking readings at the same time every day. Try first thing in the morning, about 15 minutes after you get out of bed, and again at night right before bed. If you are on medications for your blood pressure, take a reading before and again 30 minutes after you’ve taken your medications. This will help you see how your medications affect your blood pressure.

Most of us will use automatic blood pressure cuffs on our arms; these must be used correctly and regularly checked for accuracy. If you are concerned that your blood pressure cuff is not reading correctly, bring it to your next doctor’s appointment so your nurse can check it against a manual reading.

Blood pressure monitoring will help you manage and detect potential health problems early. If you regularly have high blood pressure readings, work with your cardiologist to understand the causes and possible treatment options. We encourage you to schedule a consultation at one of our convenient offices in Las Vegas.