Gap between systolic and diastolic pressure 70. Large difference between upper and lower blood pressure

Pathologically large or small difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure- it is always a deterioration in the human condition, a violation of the activity of internal organs and systems.

initial stage disease is characterized by headaches.

A small gap between the values indicates problems that do not allow blood to overcome the distance through the vessels at an optimal speed. A small difference can be provoked by vegetative-vascular dystonia (vasospasm), or significant internal blood loss.

In this case, the heart does not have enough blood fluid to work, and it will more often be in a state of relaxation. The patient feels pain in the head and dizziness, he is sick, there is fatigue and weakness in the body.

Subsequently, if treatment is not applied, a small difference in performance leads to heart disease (tachycardia, cardiosclerosis, kidney failure).

Reasons for deviations

The pulse difference characterizes the state blood vessels between myocardial contraction and relaxation. The optimal indicator is not higher than 50 mm. The ideal value varies from 35 to 45 mm.

Low PP will indicate a violation of the activity of blood vessels. Pathology is diagnosed when the value is below 30 units. Also, in cases where

less than 25% of upper blood pressure.

For example, for a systolic value of 140 mm Hg, the permissible limit of the norm is 35. If the value differs significantly, this indicates pathological processes in the body.

Little difference between systolic and diastolic pressure 20 has the following reasons:

Left ventricular stroke.
Tachycardia.
aortic stenosis.
Internal or external bleeding.
Myocarditis.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD).
Ischemia of the kidneys, which led to a large concentration of renin.

If this indicator is extremely low, the probability increases atrophic changes in the brain. small pulse pressure leads to impaired visual perception, respiratory paralysis, cardiac arrest.

With low PP, patients complain of constant drowsiness, chronic fatigue, apathy, inattention and distraction, memory, dizziness, up to loss of consciousness.

A small difference is most often observed in young age, large inherent in elderly patients age group against the background of pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Nervous tension affects the imbalance of upper and lower blood pressure.

Pressure difference (this is called "pulse pressure difference") - important factor that determines a person's well-being. The gap between the upper and lower pressure should be between 30 - 50 units (small difference).

A slight deviation from these indicators is acceptable. Changes in their boundaries and between boundaries indicate the presence of ailments.

The difference in indicators for 50 units indicates heavy load on the heart while pumping blood. Blood pressure is measured on both arms for greater reliability.

In this case, the optimal difference in values should not exceed 5 mm. rt.

Art. A high difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is due to such factors:

problems in the work of the kidneys;
violations of vascular elasticity;
malfunction of the thyroid gland;
patient's age;
stressful situations, shock;
lack of iron elements in the body;
weight changes.

A high figure of the upper indicator indicates the limiting functionality of the myocardium; low figure lower pressure- vascular inelasticity.

A specialized doctor will help determine the cause of pressure surges.

The difference in measurements should be a signal to contact a cardiologist. Only a doctor can determine exact reason changes, find out what normal border for the patient and prescribe treatment.

Almost all cases are different, so you can not resort to self-treatment. The gap between the borders may be incorrectly measured.

This is a common cause of misdiagnosis. Blood pressure is measured exclusively while sitting, with support for the back, in an even position and a state of calm.

In this case, the person should sit silently and relaxed. Hands are approximately at the level of the heart.

If systolic indicators exceed the optimal 120 millimeters, this often indicates the following conditions:

incipient hypertension;
diseases of the heart and / or blood vessels;
elderly age;
atherosclerosis.

When the deviation of systole occurs in the direction of decrease, there can also be many reasons:

excessive prolonged fatigue;
intense physical exercise, workout;
head injury;
pregnancy;
slow heart rate;
stress and nervous shocks;
systematically short duration of night rest;
heart disease;
diabetes.

Treatment for deviations

A pressure of 170 over 80, for example, suggests a significant difference between systolic and diastolic pressure. If you need to increase or decrease the difference, doctors come to synthetic drugs for "fitting" indicators. This practice is unpopular in medicine, it is resorted to in rare cases. Deviations in the difference between upper and lower pressure are usually corrected by changing habits. Doctors recommend:

avoid smoking;
exclude alcohol from consumption;
include sports;
follow the diet
avoid stressful situations;
undergo regular health checks.

The gap in the difference in blood pressure may differ from normal (accepted indicators), so it is important to determine the individual limit. If the situation is not chronic nature, abrupt changes or drops are not recorded, a person needs to normalize sleep, calm down, and normalize the cardiovascular system.

If the deviations are permanent, only a doctor will help.

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Danger of difference in performance

If a person regularly experiences an increase blood pressure his health is at risk. The consequences can be quite dire:

increases by more than a third, the risk of diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
the risk of circulatory disorders of the brain increases by 7 times;
increases the likelihood ischemic pathologies;
a 50% increase in atherosclerotic and other vascular lesions of the legs is possible.

Even a small difference in arterial indicators causes discomfort such as:

headaches, including high intensity pains;
fatigue and weakness;
drowsiness even with a good night's rest;
nausea and vomiting;
momentary loss consciousness.

A big difference between the upper and lower pressure in the readings of the tonometer can indicate both primary changes and a serious malfunction of the body. Blood pressure is an indicator of the work of the heart and blood vessels, it is determined by the indications of upper and lower blood pressure. The average "ideal" medical ratio is 120/80, with an interval of 50 units between readings at the time of systole and diastole. But every organism has its own characteristics. Pressure values mostly depend on the age of the patient, his lifestyle and habits. In the case when the gap between the lower and upper indicators is within 30 - 50 units. - the situation is normal, with a large difference in the interval between the lower and upper pressure - the patient seeks advice from a doctor who will indicate what to do.

Upper and lower blood pressure values

Blood pressure readings are measured by measures of upper (systole moment) and lower (diastole moment) blood pressure using a tonometer. Upper pressure is a measured figure of the intensity of the pressure of blood that acts on the walls of blood vessels and the heart during contraction of the heart muscle. Large vessels are involved in this process. It depends on these things:

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elasticity (extensibility) of the walls of blood vessels;
stroke volume of the left ventricle;
the highest rate of expulsion of blood.

Heart rate depends on blood pressure.

Lower blood pressure is the level of resistance of blood vessels moving through them. In this case, the cardiac muscle is relaxed. Formed when the aortic valve closes. Blood can no longer enter the heart muscle and moves longer through the vessels, and the heart is filled with oxygen and continues the contraction process. This flow of blood in the body is constant, whether it is in tension or in relaxation.

Pressure and pulse are mutually dependent concepts. Since systolic resistance is characterized by heart contractions, their frequency, this is displayed on the pulse readings. The higher it is, the greater the frequency of contractions of the heart in a person. Also, blood viscosity can cause major changes systolic pressure.

Permissible indicators. What should be the difference between upper and lower blood pressure?

Ratio 120/80 ml. rt. Art. is considered an ideal difference and an indicator that the tonometer indicates. The difference in the interval between systolic and diastolic blood pressure reaches about 40 units. This norm is not acceptable for everyone, there are other indicators that are comfortable for the patient's well-being. Below is a table with allowable values for different categories.

The boundaries between the indicators and the volume of blood pumped by the heart itself are influenced by the patient's age, weight, lifestyle and work. Normal level HELL for one is not always the norm for others. Necessary fixation of the patient's well-being, determination of the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure with both high and low rates.

Reasons for deviations

Nervous strain affects the imbalance of upper and lower blood pressure.

The difference in pressure (this is called "pulse pressure difference") is an important factor in determining the well-being of a person. The gap between the upper and lower pressure should be between 30 - 50 units (small difference). A slight deviation from these indicators is acceptable. Changes in their boundaries and between boundaries indicate the presence of ailments. The difference in indicators for 50 units indicates a heavy load on the heart when pumping blood. Blood pressure is measured on both arms for greater reliability. In this case, the optimal difference in values should not exceed 5 mm. rt. Art. A high difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is due to such factors:

problems in the work of the kidneys;
violations of vascular elasticity;
malfunction of the thyroid gland;
patient's age;
stressful situations, shock;
lack of iron elements in the body;
weight changes.

A high figure of the upper indicator indicates the limiting functionality of the myocardium; low figure of the lower pressure - inelasticity of the vessels.

A specialized doctor will help determine the cause of pressure surges.

The difference in measurements should be a signal to contact a cardiologist. Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of the changes, determine what is the normal limit for the patient and prescribe treatment. Almost all cases are different, so you can not resort to self-treatment. The gap between the borders may be incorrectly measured. This is a common cause of misdiagnosis. Blood pressure is measured exclusively while sitting, with support for the back, in an even position and a state of calm. In this case, the person should sit silently and relaxed. Hands are approximately at the level of the heart.

A big difference

Elevated blood pressure is associated with obesity, in the wrong way life, disruption of the heart or blood vessels, malfunctions of the thyroid gland. It is not uncommon for the interval to increase in the elderly (over 60 years). In this situation, the heart has to work with high voltage. The presence of cholesterol, calcium salts and lipids attached to the walls of blood vessels affects the process. Jumps in systolic and diastolic pressure lead to a heart attack or stroke. Increase difference by 60 units. and more should be immediate reason for the arrival of the ambulance. Permissible difference - optimal indicator. A change in it indicates a pathology and requires treatment.

Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of human health. It can be used to determine if there are any problems in the body. Sometimes you can find a big difference between the upper and lower blood pressure. Not everyone knows is this state acceptable norm or necessarily indicates a pathology.

The upper and lower blood pressure indicators are more correctly called systolic and diastolic, respectively. The second value is always lower than the first, both indicators are measured in millimeters of mercury. shows the force with which the heart pushes blood into the arteries, diastolic - the tone of the vessels themselves.

The normal pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Art. Only small deviations by several points, which depend on the person's age and recent physical activity. The permissible difference between these indicators is 30–50 mm Hg. Art. If after several measurements in different periods time the difference will be much greater or vice versa less, this may indicate a disease.

The difference between systolic and diastolic readings is also called pulse pressure. If it is more than fifty millimeters of mercury, this means that the heart muscle is pumping blood at too high a voltage.

It is also worth paying attention to which of the indicators is overestimated or underestimated. This may be more accurate possible cause given state. To make the measurements as reliable as possible, blood pressure should be measured several times (at least twice) on both hands.

When measuring blood pressure on both arms, a difference of five millimeters of mercury is acceptable. If it is larger, this may indicate a violation of blood circulation in one of the limbs. To be sure, you need to take measurements again in a few days.

Important! If there is a large difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, you need to contact a cardiologist.

Causes

There can be many reasons for the difference between upper and lower blood pressure. Many doctors see this as pretty dangerous symptom. However, you should not immediately panic - first you need to figure out which indicator is too high or too low relative to the norm.

The most common reasons given symptom the following:

If the systolic pressure is too high, this indicates excessive work of the myocardium - the heart muscle, which pushes blood into the arteries with effort. This may lead to premature aging, wear of the heart muscle, myocardial hypertrophy.
If the indicator of diastolic (lower) pressure is underestimated, this indicates insufficient elasticity vessels, their reduced tone. This indicator depends on the work of the kidneys, which produce a special enzyme that directly affects the elasticity of blood vessels. If the production of the enzyme is constantly reduced, this leads to the development of atherosclerosis.
Low . It allows blood to circulate in the vessels of the brain. If the indicator is lowered, the difference between the upper and lower blood pressure increases. This condition can lead to cerebral hypoxia.
Natural age-related changes. With age, the elasticity of blood vessels decreases, and the likelihood of hypertension increases. Because of this, there may be a large difference between the upper and lower blood pressure. The presence of atherosclerosis complicates the condition.
Stress. Strong emotional experiences can negatively affect blood pressure indicators in general and lead to a difference between diastolic and systolic values. This does not lead to serious consequences, however, it is recommended to take sedatives.
Iron deficiency in the blood, anemia.
Thyroid diseases, endocrine disorders.

These are the main reasons big difference between upper and lower blood pressure. Only a cardiologist can accurately determine the cause and make a prognosis after necessary analyzes and surveys.

Also, do not forget that the accuracy of blood pressure measurements depends on many factors. Pressure should be measured at rest - physical activity, recent food intake or experiences can affect the results of the study.

You also need to make sure that the pressure was measured correctly. This should be done in a sitting position, leaning back against the back of a chair. Hands should be approximately at the level of the heart, you should not move or talk during the procedure.

To measure pressure at home, it is advisable to purchase an automatic tonometer, since manual ones require special skills to use. Blood pressure should be measured at least twice, preferably at different hands. When in doubt, it's always best to re-measure.

What to do if there is a big difference

First of all, do not panic - too much excitement can only worsen the situation. If for several consecutive measurements the tonometer shows too much difference between systolic and diastolic pressure, you need to contact a cardiologist. He will definitely prescribe a series of tests and studies to establish the exact cause of poor blood pressure.

You should not try to take any drugs with a hypotonic or hypertonic effect on your own - this can only worsen the situation. You can bring your blood pressure back to normal by non-drug methods. You must adhere to the following recommendations:

Avoid emotional and physical fatigue. Until blood pressure has returned to normal, avoid excessive loads temporarily stop playing sports. You need to sleep at least eight hours a day.
You need to be able to deal with stress. It is not always possible to avoid the source of negative experiences, but it is necessary to be able to cope with their consequences. This is easier if you follow a normal daily routine. IN stressful situations allow the use of sedatives based on natural ingredients: infusion of valerian or motherwort.
Sufficient time must be spent on fresh air, walk regularly.
You should adjust your diet. Salty, fried, too sweet food negatively affects blood pressure indicators, so you need to at least temporarily abandon it. You need to include more in your diet fermented milk products, fresh vegetables and fruits.
Avoid smoking and alcoholic beverages. It is also recommended to reduce the consumption of coffee, which can negatively affect blood pressure.

These rules will help put pressure back on normal indicators. It is recommended to measure it periodically in any case in order to track the beginning pathology in time and avoid many serious problems with health.

From our article, you will learn what blood pressure is, as well as get acquainted with the factors that cause an increase in the difference between lower and upper blood pressure.

Blood pressure is important indicator our health. It is by him that experts judge how well it works the cardiovascular system, and in good or bad condition the entire body is located.

If the pressure in a person begins to regularly rise or fall below normal, then this indicates that some pathological changes are taking place inside the body, which have already begun to Negative influence on the heart and blood vessels. The most unpleasant thing is that if you do not start taking action at this stage, then sooner or later this situation will provoke a heart attack or stroke.

What is blood pressure?

Arterial pressure

HELL- This natural process blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels, capillaries, veins and arteries. If a person is completely healthy, then he generally does not notice how the blood circulates inside his body. But if something is wrong with the body, then depending on whether it is increased or decreased, a person may feel headache, throbbing in the back of the head, nausea and dizziness.

Now let's see why this happens. If you were a diligent student at school, then you probably remember that the blood in the human body is in motion all the time. Even when a person is resting, it continues to circulate through his arteries and veins. As soon as it reaches the ventricles of the heart, a spasm of the heart muscle occurs and blood is ejected under pressure into the vessels, and begins to fill them quickly enough, putting pressure on their walls. If at this stage there is more or less pressure on the vessels than necessary, then the person begins to feel all those unpleasant symptoms which we introduced you above.

From all this, only one conclusion can be drawn, our blood pressure directly depends on how often and with what force the heart muscle contracts. Therefore, if you notice a deviation in one direction or another, then be sure to check if you have heart problems. If the examination shows that it is working correctly, start looking for other reasons. incorrect operation vascular system.

Systolic pressure: what is it and what is it responsible for?

Systolic pressure

Systolic pressure(we call the top) - this is the maximum blood pressure at the moment when the heart muscle pushes blood out of the heart. This indicator helps us find out how often our heart beats. If he's okay, then top indicators will not exceed 110-130 units. Yes, and remember, such blood pressure indicators can only be in healthy people whose cardiovascular system works like clockwork. But the older a person becomes, the higher his pressure will rise, for example, for 55-year-old men and women, an indicator of 140 units is considered normal.

Systolic blood pressure is responsible for the proper functioning of the heart and blood vessels, so if something starts to happen to them, its indicators begin to noticeably deviate from the norm. If the blood becomes viscous or cholesterol plaques very much narrow the blood flow, then its indicators begin to rise above the norm. If a person has intoxication of the body or he is very overtired, blood pressure indicators may drop below normal.

But no matter which way the systolic pressure indicators fall, always remember that the smallest deviation from normal physiological indications sooner or later lead to not entirely pleasant consequences. If you do not try to establish the correct functioning of the cardiovascular system, then at first this pathological process will begin to destroy the most small vessels and then move on to larger ones. As soon as they break down, the blood circulation in the body is completely disrupted, and this is already fraught with the development of hypertension.

Diastolic pressure: what is it and what is it responsible for?

diastolic pressure

diastolic Blood pressure (we call it lower) is the force of blood pressure on the walls of the arteries at the moment when the heart muscle completely relaxes after contraction. Besides, this indicator helps us to know with what force the blood circulates through our veins and arteries. In a completely healthy person, this indicator can range from 65 to 80 units. This large difference in performance is due to general condition organism. If its vessels are sufficiently elastic and have a good tone, then, as a rule, the diastolic pressure indicators stay at around 75-80 units.

If the vessels are damaged, the blood flow is disturbed and the indicators begin to jump in one direction or another. Also, blood pressure indicators are greatly influenced by the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle and the amount of blood that the heart pumps. But even if you notice that your diastolic pressure has begun to drop or rise strongly, you don’t need to sound the alarm right away. This show can be affected by stress, nervous disorders, hypothermia and even sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, if they deviate from the norm by literally a few units, then just try to rest more.

If you see that the blood pressure indicators jump or drop by 10-15 units, then this is a reason to consult a specialist. As a rule, deviations in one direction or another occur due to the fact that the strength of the blood flow decreases or, conversely, increases. And if this process is not stabilized in the most minimum terms, then after some time the body will stop receiving the right amount of oxygen and, as a result, various problems with health.

Normal difference between systolic and diastolic pressure

The norm of the difference between the lower and upper blood pressure

Every adult knows that blood pressure with indicators of 120/80 is considered ideal. If you make simple mathematical calculations, you can understand that normally the difference will be approximately 40 units. If the gap between systolic and diastolic pressure increases to 65 units, then the person has a sharp increase in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases. In addition, not quite right job heart and blood vessels begins to wear out the walls of veins and arteries very quickly, and this begins to provoke premature processes aging.

If a person has health problems, then the gap between the lower and upper pressure can increase to 45 or decrease to 35 units. With such indicators, the human body can also function properly, although some people may experience excessive drowsiness. As for the elderly, their difference between upper and lower blood pressure can be 50 units. This is due to the fact that in the body there was a natural wear of tissues and the walls of blood vessels and arteries became less elastic.

Permissible difference between upper and lower pressure

As you probably already understood, the allowable difference between the lower and upper pressure is to show 40 units. Therapeutists call such blood pressure working and already by deviations from this figure they judge what is happening inside the body. And although this indicator is considered the most ideal, even among young and healthy, at first glance, people, it is difficult to find a person with such pressure.

That is why in Lately experts began to believe that the difference between upper and lower blood pressure can range from 35 to 50 units. True, in this case there is one thing, but. If the pressure difference indicators are within the normal range, but both the upper and lower blood pressure are high, then this indicates that the cardiovascular system works very quickly, almost to the point of wear and tear.

If both indicators, on the contrary, are too small, this indicates that both the heart and the heart muscle and blood vessels work very slowly. Yes, and remember, in order to get the most accurate blood pressure readings, all measurements should be taken only in a relaxed state. If you do this immediately after physical activity, then for sure the indicators will be higher than normal.

The Big Difference Between Upper and Lower Pressure: Causes, What Does it Mean for Health?

Enough common cause the big difference between the indicators of blood pressure are too low indicators of diastolic pressure. As a rule, these figures are greatly influenced by the elasticity of blood vessels. If it falls, the lower pressure indicators also decrease. And since the substance produced by the kidneys is responsible for the elasticity of the vessels, in this case it is best to look for pathology in this organ.

Among women similar complications may arise from problems with thyroid gland. If she stops producing the right amount hormones needed by the body For normal functioning, then absolutely all organs and systems begin to suffer because of this. Against this background, problems with the cardiovascular system may appear, which will lead to the fact that the heart and blood vessels will no longer properly pump blood and enrich internal organs oxygen.

Also, pressure indicators are influenced by age-related changes in the body. The older a person becomes, the less elastic his blood vessels become. Because of this, he develops arterial stiffness and the vessels cease to cope with the pressure that is exerted on them. blood flow.

Small difference between upper and lower pressure: causes, what does it mean for health?

Reasons for the large difference between upper and lower pressure

Pressure is a pretty good indicator of our state of health and if inside the body begin to occur pathological processes, then this immediately affects the blood pressure indicators. If we talk about a small difference between the upper and lower pressure, then here too main reason are problems with the cardiovascular system. Just in this case, problems appear that do not allow the blood flow to move through the vessels and arteries with sufficient force.

In addition, such indicators can provoke such a pathology as vegetovascular dystonia. This disease provokes vasospasm, and as a result, the blood cannot circulate properly through the body.

Another reason that can provoke such behavior of blood pressure is a very strong internal blood loss. In this case, the blood, instead of circulating through the veins and arteries, will flow inwards at the site of the wound. abdominal cavity. And since the heart will not push blood into the vessels, they will completely relax and this will immediately affect the pressure indicators.

Immediately I want to show that a small difference, as well as a large one, has a rather detrimental effect on the body. After all, if at first it can affect only dizziness and headache, then in the future such a state of the cardiovascular system can lead to the development of tachycardia, cardiosclerosis and kidney failure.

The difference between the upper and lower pressure 50, 60, 70, 80, 20, 40: how to understand if this is good or bad?

Difference between upper and lower pressure

If you carefully read our article, you probably understood that the difference between the upper and lower pressure of 40 and 50 units is considered the norm. Therefore, if, when measuring blood pressure, your tonometer gives out, for example, 120/80 or 130/70, then you can be quite calm. The reason for going to the doctor in this case can only be regular headaches, which are accompanied by dizziness and strong pulsation in the neck and temples.

But as for the difference of 60, 70 and 80 units, in this case, you should immediately seek help from a cardiologist and therapist. Such a large gap between upper and lower pressure may indicate that the cardiovascular system is working in an enhanced mode. These processes hinder normal operation heart muscle, and this leads to the fact that the blood flow has a fairly strong effect on the walls of blood vessels.

Also a cause for concern is a very small gap between blood pressure indicators (20 units). In this case, in addition to standard problems with blood vessels and the heart, kidney pathologies can be the cause of such indicators.

Upper and lower pressure is the same: what to do?

Identical indicators lower and upper blood pressure

The indicators of upper and lower pressure can be the same if a person has some kind of cardiac pathology. Indeed, in order for the blood flow to circulate through our vessels, veins and arteries, it has to constantly pump and eject blood. If something prevents him from doing this, the heart stops filling with blood, which leads to the fact that it contracts more than necessary.

This condition is very dangerous for health, so if you see 110/120 or 80/70 on the tonometer, then immediately start taking action. Of course, in this case, it is best to call an ambulance and get qualified assistance. But if you do not have the opportunity to quickly get to the hospital, then try to help yourself with improvised means. But remember that in this case there are some nuances. first aid. If the indicators of the upper and lower blood pressure are very high, then they will need to be brought down.

And since it will not be necessary to do this very sharply, it will be better if you try to normalize the work of the heart with the help of antagonist drugs that normalize heartbeat. You can also try lowering your blood pressure with diuretics. If the indicators of the upper and lower pressure are very low, on the contrary, they will need to be raised. To do this, you can try to drink citramone and very sweet tea.

Why do you need to measure pressure and on which arm?

Recommendations for measuring pressure

Most people think that only people who have a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension or hypotension should have their blood pressure taken. But in fact, this is not at all the case. Experts even advise healthy people periodically check yourself. For example, make it a rule for yourself and a couple of times a week at certain time take blood pressure measurements. Such good habit will allow you to notice the beginning in time pathological changes and you can avoid more serious problems.

You also need to accustom yourself to measure the pressure before taking a pill for a headache. Indeed, although most people attribute it to overwork or lack of sleep, pressure is most often the cause of this problem. And in order to understand which drug to take, you need to know its exact indicators.

As for which hand to take measurements on, experts advise doing this on right hand. In order to get the correct data, you need to take comfortable position, completely relax and only after that start taking measurements. This should be done 2-3 times with an interval of 3 minutes. The average result will be an accurate indicator of blood pressure at the time of measurement.

Pressure norm by age: table

Table of norms of pressure by age

Article publication date: 06/08/2017

Article last updated: 12/21/2018

From this article you will learn about such a phenomenon as a big difference between the upper and lower pressure. This condition may cause certain complaints in the patient, or it may turn out to be a completely random finding during the next pressure measurement.

When measuring pressure with a tonometer, two numbers are used as a result - upper and lower blood pressure, respectively. The first - the largest number in value - is the upper, or systolic, pressure. It reflects the work of the heart. The second indicator - a smaller number - is the lower or diastolic pressure. It reflects the work of blood vessels and the passage of a portion of blood through large elastic vessels - the aorta, arteries and arterioles. BP is measured in millimeters of mercury.

A large difference between the two components of blood pressure is considered to be the difference between the upper and lower indicators by more than 50 mm Hg. Art. In the vast majority of cases, such a “run-up” is achieved precisely because of the high numbers of the upper pressure, while the lower one remains within the normal range. This condition is called isolated systolic hypertension, or ISH. It's a special kind hypertension, which we will discuss in more detail below.

Click on photo to enlarge

Usually, isolated arterial hypertension is not subject to radical cure, however, it is necessary to control blood pressure numbers and receive corrective treatment. In isolation, high upper pressure and a large difference in its indicators with the lower one can provoke strokes, cerebral and cardiac circulatory disorders to the same extent as ordinary arterial hypertension.

Most often, the problem of ISH is dealt with by general practitioners and cardiologists.

Reasons for the large difference between pressure readings

The culprit for the large difference in the measured blood pressure is precisely the upper or. It is the increase in this indicator of more than 50 mm Hg. Art. compared with diastolic characterizes the beginning of systolic arterial hypertension. The heart works at full strength, pumping up blood pressure, but for a number of reasons, the vessels do not respond to changes in blood pressure - the lower one remains stably normal or even low.

ISH is otherwise called hypertension in the elderly, since it is precisely age factors determine its main causes:

Destruction and thinning of the muscle layer in the arteries. Exactly muscle layer in these vessels determines the elasticity of the arteries and the possibility of changing their diameter to control blood pressure.
Atherosclerosis of the arteries - the deposition of salts of cholesterol, calcium and thrombotic masses on the inner lining of the arteries - the formation atherosclerotic plaques. Vessels become "glassy" - dense, unyielding and unable to fully contract in response to pressure changes.
Depletion of kidney reserves and their chronic diseases. The kidneys are powerful regulators of blood pressure, and in old age their condition is deteriorating.
Destruction of special receptors in the heart and large vessels, which are responsible for the reaction of vessels to changes in upper pressure. Normally, these receptors should "catch" high blood pressure blood from the heart and force the vessels to balance it.
Deterioration of the blood supply to the brain and brain centers for the regulation of vascular tone.

All these features, so characteristic of older people - over 60 years old, are the main reason for such a condition as a large difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.

Symptoms of pathology

The main problem of isolated systolic hypertension is its latent and sluggish course. Patients with high numbers of upper pressure may not be disturbed in any way.

In some cases, patients present fairly general complaints:

ear congestion and tinnitus;
headache, dizziness, heaviness in the temples;
wobbly and unsteady gait, impaired coordination of movements;
memory loss, psycho-emotional instability;
pain in the heart, cardiac arrhythmias.

The main difference of this type of hypertension is a mild and stable course, however, with concomitant complicating factors, it can lead to hypertensive crises and circulatory disorders. These aggravating factors include:

Diabetes.
Obesity.
Recumbent or sedentary image life.
Heart failure and disorders of the structure of the heart - left ventricular hypertrophy.
Chronic renal failure.
History of strokes and heart attacks.

Diagnostics

By and large, the diagnosis of ISH is simple. It is enough to measure the patient's pressure several times in dynamics or make it with a special tonometer - SMAD.

As a clarifying study, the patient can do:

Clinical analysis of blood and urine.
Blood test for glucose.
A biochemical blood test with an emphasis on the lipid profile - indicators of the metabolism of cholesterol and its fractions.
Coagulogram or blood clotting test.
Electrocardiogram of the heart.
Ultrasound examination of the heart, large vessels, in particular, BCA - brachiocephalic arteries that feed the brain.
Ultrasound examination of the kidneys and renal vessels.
Specialist consultations: neurologist, endocrinologist, vascular surgeon.

Treatment Methods

Treatment of ISH should be prescribed by a general practitioner together with a cardiologist after a proper examination of the patient.

It is very important to keep a few mandatory conditions to treat this type of hypertension:

Under no circumstances should the pressure be reduced abruptly. Its upper numbers should fall gradually so that the vessels "have time to get used" to their new indicators. Otherwise, the patient may experience strokes, heart attacks and other ischemic disorders.
Drugs for the treatment of ISH should have a maximum effect only on systolic pressure. It is necessary to start therapy with the smallest possible doses of the drug, gradually increasing the dosage.
The action of drugs should not adversely affect the kidneys and cerebral circulation which already suffer in the elderly.

To treat ISH and equalize the difference between upper and lower pressure, use following groups medicines:

Antihypertensive drugs - medicines for high blood pressure. In this case, it is preferable to use calcium antagonists, beta-blockers, and angiotensin receptor blockers. These drugs for correct use fully meet the specified criteria.
Diuretics are diuretics. A decrease in circulating blood volume can significantly reduce upper pressure and cardiac output.
Drugs that improve cerebral, renal and cardiac blood flow additionally protect these organs from harmful influence pressure.
Neuro- and cerebroprotectors - drugs that improve the nutrition of nerve tissues and the brain - are used to prevent strokes and cerebrovascular accidents.

With the aim of best effect you can use combinations of drugs, and sometimes even radically change drugs and their combinations under the close supervision of a doctor.

The lifestyle of the patient is also very important: proper nutrition With low content fats and simple carbohydrates, dosed exercise stress, walks in the open air, good sleep and rest, vitamin therapy, rejection of bad habits.

Forecast

The course of ICH is not aggressive. In many patients, the disease lasts for years and even decades, and periods of normal well-being alternate with deterioration.

The problem of ISH lies in the fact that against the background of a pronounced increase in systolic pressure (200 mm Hg and above), against the background of altered inelastic vessels, there is a high probability of hemorrhages in the brain, retina, and kidneys. Such "glass vessels" do not withstand the load of blood pressure and burst.

Timely treatment and individual approach for each patient, stable maintenance of upper blood pressure at a level not exceeding 140 mm Hg. Art., correct image life significantly increase life expectancy and quality of life in elderly patients.