Systolic diastolic which is more dangerous

Over a number of years, the raised blood pressure can damage the blood vessels, leading to a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease. In reality, the higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of illness later on.

If you have any unusual symptoms as well such as blurred vision or headaches then see them straight away. Our blood pressure chart shows how your blood pressure numbers relate to your risk of illness. In general, the lower your blood pressure the lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and many other illnesses in the future.

See how you can look after your blood pressure and see where your numbers are on our blood pressure chart. The top number of your blood pressure reading is your systolic blood pressure. This is the highest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart pumps blood around your body. The top number is more important because it gives a better idea of your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

Having a raised systolic blood pressure but normal or low diastolic blood pressure is called Isolated Systolic Hypertension ISH. Even though only the top number is raised, it still carries a higher risk of developing heart attacks or strokes and should be treated. There are some circumstances where diastolic blood pressure may be more important than systolic. Some studies suggest that in people aged under 40, diastolic blood pressure gives a better idea of the risk of health problems, but as heart attacks and strokes are less common in younger people, there is less information available about blood pressure numbers and the risk of these problems.

It could be that diastolic blood pressure becomes more important when it is very high. Find out more about what the numbers mean. This is called isolated systolic hypertension ISH. See how the numbers relate to the risk of health problems. The short answer is yes. Blood pressure does tend to rise with age, but the levels to aim for with treatment are the same for all ages. If you have diabetes, kidney disease or have already had a heart attack or stroke, your doctor may want to bring your blood pressure down lower.

But with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, most people should be able to get down to these levels.

If you have diabetes this raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure can lead to these health problems as well, and having diabetes and high blood pressure at the same time dramatically raises the risk.

This is why your doctor will want to keep your blood pressure below the usual target. Eating a range of foods that are high in potassium, especially fruit and vegetables, helps to lower your blood pressure. Potassium plays a role in how much fluid is stored in the body and how much is released in your urine.

It can lower blood pressure in part by counteracting the effects of sodium, the part of salt that puts up blood pressure by making the body hold onto water. Too much potassium can be harmful, especially if you have kidney problems or you are taking certain medicines that raise the amount of potassium in your body.

If you have kidney problems you might also need to avoid potassium-based salt substitutes — known as low salts, less sodium salts, and reduced salts — as these contain high levels of potassium instead of sodium. Your doctor will be able to tell you if these are suitable for you. Read more about potassium and your blood pressure. Being overweight raises your blood pressure because it affects the ways your body controls blood pressure.

Your blood pressure is controlled by a number of systems, including how hard and fast your heart beats, the release of different hormones, and how much fluid your kidneys remove from your body. Carrying too much fat appears to affect some of the hormones involved, known as the renin-angiotensin system.

All these effects can raise your blood pressure. See the simple changes you can make to lose weight. Oily fish, for example sardines, trout, salmon and mackerel, are rich in a type of fat called omega 3 fatty acids. Some studies have shown that taking fish oil supplements lead to a small reduction in blood pressure. Ideally, you should also aim to get your nutrients from whole foods rather than supplements as they contain far more nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium.

Eating oily fish can help to balance the different types of cholesterol in your blood, helping to lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Find out more about fats and your blood pressure. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, including one portion of oily fish. Because oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants, particularly mercury, there are recommendations for maximum amounts of oily fish to eat. Salt is totally unnecessary for making bread. Its main use in bread is to slow down the fermentation of the yeast so, without it, the bread rises quicker. Once you are used to the taste, it is fantastic — the only problem is you will want to eat too much of it.

For many people, there is no single specific cause of their high blood pressure. You can lower your risk of high blood pressure by leading a healthy lifestyle. If you have high blood pressure, medicines and a healthy lifteyle will help to lower it. Lifestyle changes such as eating less salt and more fruit and veg, exercising more, losing weight and stopping smoking might be all you need to lower your blood pressure to a healthy level.

Sometimes tablets are needed and these are usually very effective. By lowering your blood pressure, with lifestyle changes or medication, your risk of having a stroke or heart attack will be much lower. Occasionally, high blood pressure is caused by an underlying health problem, and treating the cause can bring the raised blood pressure back down to normal. There is usually an underlying cause if the blood pressure is very high, resistant to treatment, or if you have kidney disease.

See how you can lower your blood pressure. Your doctor might ask you to either measure your own blood pressure at home, or wear a small device to monitor your blood pressure over hours. Your doctor will ask you about any health problems you have or have had in the past, and illnesses in your family. You might have:. You may need more detailed investigations, your doctor will discuss these with you.

Find out more about the tests that can be used if you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. A raised blood cholesterol level can also lead to heart disease and stroke. If you have both at the same time, the risks are higher. If you have high blood pressure you may be referred to a specialist. There are a number of reasons why you might need to see a specialist:.

It is unusual to have symptoms from high blood pressure, most people have no symptoms which is why the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a blood pressure check.

Some people do say that they can tell when their blood pressure is raised. If you have very high blood pressure, you may have some symptoms, and headaches can be one of them, along with blood shot eyes, or feeling sick or generally unwell.

When you first start using a home monitor, measure your blood pressure in the morning and evening every day for a week. This will give you a representative picture of your blood pressure during your normal daily life, as blood pressure can vary throughout the day. Because there is some evidence that we are more likely to have a stroke or heart attack in the morning when we first wake up, this is a good time to take readings.

After the first week, take readings at the same time each day, for example, first thing in the morning or last thing at night. For example, taking two to three measurements and discarding the first, which can often be higher than the others, and making sure your cuff fits and is in the right place. See our tips for measuring your blood pressure at home. An upper arm monitor will give you a more accurate reading. All of the studies on blood pressure have been done with measurements from the upper arm rather than the wrist.

Wrist monitors involve an extra step because they use a special chip to adjust the reading, as blood pressure is different at the wrist compared to the upper arm. If you still want to use a wrist monitor, follow the instructions carefully as the cuff around the wrist needs to be placed exactly at the level of the heart to give an accurate reading - you will need to rest your arm on a surface for this.

Your heart rate rises and falls depending on what you're doing at the time, or have just been doing. It will be higher if you have just been active or you have just had a drink of tea, coffee or cola, as these contain caffeine. A normal resting heart rate, when you are sitting still, is somewhere between bpm beats per minute.

It can be bpm in healthy people who exercise regularly. Some blood pressure medicines will lower your heart rate and your doctor will consider this when prescribing medicines for you.

Others raise them to start with. Lifestyle changes are recommended as the first step in treating any stage of high blood pressure. These changes may include:. If you are, your doctor might recommend stopping that drug, changing medications, or adjusting your dosage.

However, lifestyle changes and medication adjustments may not be enough to bring your blood pressure numbers down. If a medication is causing your low blood pressure, your doctor may change your dosage of that drug or stop your treatment with it.

If your low blood pressure is caused by an infection, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection. Proper management of the problem can help improve or limit episodes of low blood pressure. Unmanaged high blood pressure can lead to:. Symptoms or complications that may occur from low blood pressure can include:. You may head off blood pressure problems before they start, or limit your risk, if you follow a healthy lifestyle.

In addition, if you suspect you have sleep apnea symptoms, such as heavy snoring, daytime sleepiness, or restless sleep, talk to your doctor about a sleep study. Sleep apnea is believed to affect at least 25 million American adults. Research has shown that using a CPAP machine while sleeping can reduce blood pressure in people with sleep apnea.

To help prevent low blood pressure, drink plenty of fluids, preferably water, to prevent dehydration. Stand up slowly from a sitting position to help prevent orthostatic hypotension.

Also, notify your doctor right away if you feel a medication is causing your blood pressure to drop. There may be another medication option that will have less impact on your blood pressure numbers.

Discuss which symptoms you should look out for and how to best monitor your condition. For many people, high or low blood pressure is manageable. Shop for a home blood pressure monitor. High blood pressure readings are different for adults, children, and pregnant women. Learn which levels constitute high blood pressure for these…. High blood pressure is often associated with few or no symptoms. Many people have it for years without knowing it.

Learn more. Foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium can help lower blood pressure. Take a look at our list and see which ones you'd like to add…. Many medications can be used to treat high blood pressure. Now, we know they are both equally important. Minimal elevations of diastolic blood pressure less than 95 mm Hg alone don't pose an immediate significant health risk. But that's assuming you're in good health otherwise and don't have any additional factors that put you at risk for cardiovascular problems.

Those factors include diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, smoking, hardening of the arteries atherosclerosis , or a history of heart disease or a heart attack. If you don't have any additional risk factors, regularly monitoring your blood pressure and making lifestyle changes to decrease your diastolic blood pressure may be all that's necessary at this time.

Taking steps to reduce your blood pressure to a normal level is important because an elevated diastolic pressure puts you at a higher-than-average risk of developing elevated systolic blood pressure as you age. Changes that can make a difference include eating a low-salt diet, avoiding alcohol, exercising regularly, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. If you have other cardiovascular risk factors, any elevation in diastolic blood pressure — even if it's small — significantly increases your risk of cardiovascular problems.

If that's the case for you, I strongly recommend you work with your physician to create a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all your risk factors, including high blood pressure. Effective management of high blood pressure is important because if left untreated it can have serious, long-term consequences. High blood pressure damages the lining of the blood vessels and accelerates hardening of the arteries throughout the body.