High Systolic Blood Pressure

When the term high systolic blood pressure,high systolic normal diastolic blood comes to mind, you start asking reasons for high systolic blood pressure ,how this could be possible. After all, is it not that high blood pressure is composed of two numbers - the systolic (the number on top) and the diastolic (the number below) so how come only the systolic reading is high?

Well, the answer is simple, really. In medical terms, you can have high blood pressure even when your diastolic reading is low. Keep in mind that once you have a systolic reading of 140 and above, then you have isolated systolic hypertension.

Causes

There are many causes for systolic blood pressure, any one of which can happen to you. Keep in mind that most doctors will keep an eye on these conditions while being open to the possibility of isolated systolic hypertension also happening.

If you have hyperthyroidism or early primary hypertension, either of which raises cardiac output, then you have higher risks. This is also true for conditions where your immune system is weakened such as in the case of the arteriovenous fistula as well as when the major arteries become stiff.

You may think that isolated systolic hypertension is uncommon in the United States because of its few causes. Well, you are incorrect in this instance because it is actually the most common form of hypertension especially in the older American population. Thus, as you get older, you will also have higher risks for this particular type of hypertension.

Unfortunately, there are no overt symptoms that will give away the fact that you have high systolic blood pressure. Only your doctor can diagnose it through a blood pressure reading.

Treatments

Systolic hypertension is not dangerous if and when it is properly treated. Just like the other forms of hypertension (think gestational hypertension, Stage 1 and Stage 2 hypertension), it can lead to heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, blindness and kidney damage, to name the worst of the complications from untreated systolic hypertension.

There is no cure but you can definitely manage it with a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle and proper medications. You should know by now that a healthy diet means one filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and cereals, nuts and seeds and low-fact items. A healthy lifestyle is more difficult but not impossible to adopt - stop smoking and drinking, get your exercise, sleep sufficient hours during the night and manage your stress. Medications must also be strictly followed to control your high systolic blood pressure.

These measures should be sufficient to bring down your systolic readings to normal levels preferably below the 140 mmHg borderline amount. However, if for any reason, you do not favorably respond to the treatment protocol, then you should discuss changes in it with your doctor.

Your body changes as you go older, thus, it is also necessary to change the way you take care of it. But at least, you are doing something good in the right direction. The worst thing that you can do when you have high systolic blood pressure is to ignore it.

Go to Blood Pressure Chart from High Systolic Blood Pressure