Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and consists of systolic and diastolic readings. Systolic pressure is the maximum force on blood vessels during a heartbeat, while diastolic pressure is the minimum force between heartbeats. Normal readings vary by country and fluctuate throughout the day. Systolic readings are more important for diagnosing cardiovascular disease in people over 50. Consistently high blood pressure can lead to organ damage or heart attacks.
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure indicate the force of blood on blood vessel walls as it travels through the body. Both types of blood pressure are measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), but when written together as a fraction, it’s done without listing the unit of measure mmHg, such as 120/80. Systolic blood pressure is the top number in the fraction and diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements take place at opposite times of the heartbeat.
The maximum pressure or force exerted on blood vessels is recorded as systolic blood pressure. It happens as the heart beats and the contraction of the heart’s left ventricle pushes blood into the aorta. Systolic blood pressure allows blood to carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
Conversely, diastolic blood pressure is the minimum force on blood vessels between heartbeats when the heart is relaxed. Diastolic blood pressure is recorded just before the ventricle of the heart pushes blood into the aorta. This measurement is lowest when the ventricle is filling with blood.
What is considered a normal reading for systolic and diastolic blood pressure varies slightly in different countries. For example, in the United States, normal readings for an adult are 90-120mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 60-80mmHg for diastolic blood pressure. In the UK, up to 140mmHg is normal for systolic and up to 90mmHg is normal for diastolic.
The systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings for a person will naturally fluctuate throughout the day due to the body’s circadian rhythm. Blood pressure will also respond to changes in the body from exercise, disease, and medications, among other things. It is best for a person to check their blood pressure readings several times throughout the day to get an average number rather than relying on just one measurement.
In general, the systolic reading is considered to be more important than the diastolic number for diagnosing various types of cardiovascular disease for people over the age of 50. Systolic blood pressure will rise steadily with age for most people due to factors such as hardening of the arteries and long-term plaque buildup in blood vessels. Consistently high blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to organ damage or heart attacks.
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