diastolic blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in your blood vessels between heartbeats (when your heart is resting). Represented by the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, diastolic blood pressure is considered low when the blood pressure reading is below 60; a diastolic blood pressure reading higher than 90 is considered high. Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, can help lower diastolic blood pressure.
What causes it?
In many people with high blood pressure, a single specific cause is not known. This is called essential or primary high blood pressure. Research is continuing to find causes.
In some people, high blood pressure is the result of another medical problem or medication. When the cause is known, this is called secondary high blood pressure.
Low Diastolic Blood Pressure
If the diastolic pressure is too low (known as hypotension or low blood pressure), the blood is not able to bring oxygen and nutrients to all the body’s cells and remove waste matter. This can cause the cells to die. The diastolic blood pressure is considered low when the blood pressure reading is below 60.
If you are at risk for high blood pressure, make sure that you have your blood pressure measurements monitored regularly. The diastolic reading is the lower number of a measurement and if it rises between 80 and 89, you are considered to have pre- hypertension of borderline high diastolic blood pressure.
A reading above 90 indicates that you have developed diastolic hypertension; therefore you must obtain treatment immediately. This condition is a significant health concern in that your heart is working extra hard to carry out its natural functioning. Again, this causes your heart hardship; eventually leading to heart attack and/or stroke.
Diastolic hypertension is diagnosed as the result of an elevated diastolic blood pressure reading. A high diastolic blood pressure reading may suggest heart attack and stroke in middle- aged adults. Alarmingly so, the rates for pre- hypertension and hypertension are increasing amongst this population.
If you have been diagnosed with elevated diastolic blood pressure, it is important that you take immediate steps to change your life- style. You must bring your pressure back down to normal levels. Practicing a healthy life- style will reduce your risks of developing other related and more complicating health issues in the future.