High diastolic blood pressure is a relatively rare form of hypertension. It occurs when there is a rise only in the diastolic measurement of your blood pressure.  The systolic measurement, the first one the doctor mentions, would remain within normal range.  But what is blood pressure and how is it measured? 

When talking about blood pressure, everyone knows about the cuffs used in school or the doctors office that are placed around the bicep and pumped full of air and many people as children remember playing with the blood pressure machines at the pharmacy or grocery store as their parents pick up a prescription. But what exactly is high blood pressure and how can it affect you?

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury. The number or pressure is followed by mmHg which simply translates to millimeters, Mercury. There will always be two numbers of which the first is known as systolic pressure and is the pressure in your arteries at the moment of the heart’s contraction while the other number, diastolic is the exact opposite in which it is the pressure in the arteries in between the heart’s contractions.

High blood pressure can actually come in three forms and while many people are only accustomed to one, it is possible that you too could have high blood pressure without realizing it. The first form of high blood pressure is when your systolic blood pressure is too high. This is usually seen as like 170/70. Since the first number is the systolic and having high blood pressure is anything over 140 for systolic and 90 for diastolic, therefore it is completely possible for only your systolic pressure to be too high which is still classified as having high blood pressure.

It is also possible for your diastolic pressure to be high and your systolic pressure to be normal. In a case like this, you may see something like 120/104 for your blood pressure. This is still high blood pressure and can be potentially dangerous if it is like this every time you have your pressure taken.

The third and most well known form of high blood pressure is when both the systolic and the diastolic pressures are just too high. Furthermore, medications that are available are designed to treat either a high diastolic or a high systolic blood pressure and in the event that you have both, then chances are that you may be prescribed two different medications to help keep your blood pressure lower.

While high blood pressure is constituted as being 140/90 mmHg, it is also dangerous if you classify as having what is called mild blood pressure. Usually people who have high blood pressure started with mild blood pressure and therefore catching it in this stage is very important to helping stop it. Like many other conditions, the sooner it can be discovered and treated, the better outcome potential that there will be.

High blood pressure is a disease that far too many individuals have in common.  As a matter of fact, it is thought that over 30% of adults are walking around with hypertension at any one time.  The unfortunate part about this is that many of these individuals are not even aware that they have the disease at all.  If they did, they may be able to lower their blood pressure through lifestyle changes and keep themselves out of danger.  Of course, avoiding a problem in the first place is much easier than dealing with one once it occurs.  Knowing what causes high blood pressure may be able to help you avoid a problem.

Interestingly enough, doctors are really not sure what causes hypertension in the first place although there are some factors that may help to contribute to the problem.  Many individuals can save themselves a lot of trouble by making sure that they are taking care of themselves as to not fall into the typical category that develops this disease.  Here are some of the things that you can control in your life in order to lower your risk of blood pressure problems.

Weight Problems – If you are carrying around additional weight, your blood pressure can go up as a result.  If you are able to control this area of your life, you run less of a risk of developing high blood pressure readings in later life.

Exercise – If you’re not getting the proper amount of exercise, you are also at risk of incurring problems with your blood pressure.  Make sure that you increase your daily activity and you will lower your blood pressure or keep yourself out of the high blood pressure range.

Dealing with Stress – Very few of us are able to avoid stress altogether.  If we allow our stress level to get too high, however, our blood pressure can raise as a result.

Alcohol – There is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol on occasion but if you’re a heavy drinker, you are increasing your possibility of developing high blood pressure.  Moderate your drinking habits and you will take yourself out of this risk category.

There are also some other things which may cause blood pressure such as race, age and hereditary issues.  Although there is nothing that can be done about these particular things, you may still be able to control your high blood pressure as a result of specific lifestyle changes.