High Diastolic Blood Pressure Changes With Age

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of a person’s arteries when the heart beats; the first of the two numbers rendered are that of the systolic pressure, and this measures the pressure in the arteries at the time the heart is beating. The second number is that of the diastolic pressure, measuring the pressure in the arteries between heart beats. For those under age 55 a high diastolic blood pressure is considered dangerous.

In patients under age 55 physicians focus more on the diastolic number but it has been found as people get older high diastolic blood pressure will go down and the systolic number will increase. However, a lowering of the high diastolic blood pressure does not mean a person no longer is considered to have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is responsible for many maladies including heart attack, stoke, blindness and kidney failure. With that in mind controlling blood pressure become paramount to prevention of these problems. Keeping tabs on a high diastolic blood pressure is important when young to prevent further complication as you age.

Blood Pressure Changes Daily

Throughout the day a person’s blood pressure changes as daily life and activity affects a person. Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120 over 80 and a daily average reaching those numbers is expected. However, a blood pressure reading of up to 140 systolic and up to 90 diastolic is considered pre-hypertensive. It is not considered to be high blood pressure, but the person is at risk for developing high blood pressure.

Patients on the border are sometimes prescribed to wear a blood pressure monitor for a 24-hour period to the physician can develop a better average reading to determine the probability of developing high blood pressure.

Those with systolic pressure of over 140 and high diastolic blood pressure over 90 are considered to have high blood pressure. There are many factors contributing to high blood pressure, including diet and exercise, but many believe the main contributing factor to be hereditary. If a parent or both parents had high blood pressure, the chances are increased that you will also develop it.

The high diastolic blood pressure reading in younger people indicates the arteries are under constant pressure,, even between beats of the heart. A lower number is desirable as the pressure is not so great being exerted onto the arterial walls. Later in life the systolic pressure will probably increase and any thinning or hardening of the arteries will not be able to take the pressure possibly causing heart attack or stroke.