Blood pressure and heart rate explained
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Feb 12 2010
Q: Is Systolic blood pressure the same as the heart rate that you read when you are on the treadmill? Is your pulse different from BP or HR? You say that normal blood pressure shouldn’t increase when doing normal activities. Doesn’t blood pressure go up when you are exercising, or carrying something heavy?
A: Systolic pressure is the pressure in your arteries that occurs with the contraction of your heart. Diastolic pressure is the pressure in your arteries between heart beats. With each heart beat blood is forced through your arteries creating pulsations. The number of pulsations that occur in a minute is your pulse. As this reflects your heart rate, the terms are somewhat interchangeable. Blood pressure increases with activity but should remain within the normal range.
Tags: arteries, blood pressure, Blood Pressure & Hypertension, bp, diastolic, diastolic pressure, heart, heart beat, Heart Health, heart rate, normal blood pressure, systolic, systolic blood pressure, systolic pressureHypertension and anxiety
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Dec 14 2009
Q: How do I know when I’m dealing with true hypertension rather than anxiety? Which indicates anxiety: diastolic or systolic or both?
A: If your blood pressure is high on more than one measurement, either systolic or diastolic, you have true hypertension. Hypertension needs treatments even if anxiety is playing a factor. Stress can elevate both systolic and diastolic pressure.
Tags: anxiety, Anxiety & Stress, blood pressure, Blood Pressure & Hypertension, diastolic, hypertension, stress, systolic, systolic and diastolic pressureRESPeRATE effect on diastolic pressure
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Nov 19 2008
Q: After using Resperate for two months, I find that my systolic BP falls below 120. Diastolic and pulse remain in normal ranges. Is it possible that two 15 minute sessions is too much and can have an adverse affect? I am 80 years old and take no BP medication.
A: Diastolic pressure decreases with aging while systolic pressure increases. Because of this, systolic pressure elevation is a bigger problem in the elderly. It appears that the RESPeRATE is working well to keep your pressure in a normal range. Make sure to keep your doctor apprised of your home blood pressure readings between visits.
Tags: Blood Pressure & Hypertension, diastolic, elderly, RESPeRATE, systolicSystolic and diastolic blood pressure spread
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Nov 14 2008
Q: My diastolic and systolic numbers have a 60 point spread (pulse pressure) and sometimes more. I am not overweight, do not have diabetes or other risk factors. This high pulse pressure number occurred suddenly after an accident. Should I be concerned?
A: Pulse pressure is determined by subtracting your diastolic blood pressure from your systolic blood pressure. A pulse pressure of greater than 40 at rest is worrisome. You need to be evaluated by your physician to determine the cause. High pulse pressure may be a sign of hardening of the arteries, the side effect of a medication, or a sign of another condition such as hyperthyroidism.
Tags: blood pressure, Diabetes, diastolic, Misc, systolicSide effects of hypertension medicine
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Oct 17 2008
Q: I am a 58 year old male and have BP 140 to 150 systolic and around 100 diastolic. I was given an antihypertensive pill but I don’t take it regularly. I just take it when my BP is over 160/100. Please enlighten me about the side effects of these anti-hypertensive pills.
A: Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher needs to be treated to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. It is best to take blood pressure medicine the way it was prescribed by your doctor. Usually side effects of blood pressure medication are minimal. The most worrisome are sexual side effects. If you experience an unacceptable side effect, you should talk to your doctor about changing medications. An alternative to treat high pressure that does not have side effects is the RESPeRATE.
Tags: Alternative, anti-hypertension, Blood Pressure & Hypertension, diastolic, heart attack, hypertension, medicine, RESPeRATE, sexual side effects, side effects, stroke, systolicStubborn diastolic number
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Oct 17 2008
Q: I am on high blood pressure medicine. Why is it that my bottom number (diastolic) never goes down? It ranges from 93 to 98 all the time. What makes the bottom number go up?
A: Your blood pressure is not in good control based on your readings. You need to be re-evaluated by your physician. For a good discussion on what causes high blood pressure and beneficial life style changes click here
Tags: Blood Pressure & Hypertension, bottom number, causes, diastolicPre-hypertension and intervention
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Oct 10 2008
Q: My son is 20 yrs old and he gets constant headaches. His blood pressure runs 136/83. What should he do?
A: Your son needs to see his doctor and be evaluated. His blood pressure is in the prehypertension range as his systolic pressure is between 120-139mm Hg and his diastolic pressure is between 80-89mm Hg. Without intervention, he could develop high blood pressure.
Tags: Blood Pressure & Hypertension, diastolic, headaches, high blood pressure, intervention, pre-hypertension, prehypertension, range, systolicSystolic higher than diastolic
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Jan 14 2008
Q: Is it possible for your systolic BP to become lower than your diastolic? What happens if it does?
A: Systolic blood pressure occurs when the ventricles of your heart contract so it is always the highest. Diastolic blood pressure occurs with the relaxation of the heart between contractions. If your heart can’t beat effectively enough to raise your systolic pressure above your diastolic pressure, you need to speak to a physician.
Tags: blood pressure, Blood Pressure & Hypertension, contractions, diastolic, diastolic pressure, heart, heart beat, relaxation, systolic, systolic pressure, ventriclesBalancing systolic and diastolic
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Aug 14 2007
Q: I have Isolated Systolic Hypertension (in the mid 130’s) and the Dr is concerned that lowering it will lower the Diastolic reading (now in the upper 60’s) to unsafe levels. Can RESPeRATE be used to keep things in balance?
A: Yes, clinical studies have shown a significant reduction for the systolic value while the diastolic value was not decreased below normal values. The blood pressure reduction with the use of RESPeRATE is related to how much each value is above normal.
Tags: clinical studies, diastolic, Isolated Hypertension, isolated systolic, RESPeRATELowering your systolic number
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: Apr 19 2007
Q: I have high isolated systolic BP and my diastolic is normal. Why is systolic BP more important? Would using RESPeRATE be harmful for this condition? What’s a good way to get your systolic number lower?
A: Both systolic and diastolic high blood pressure readings are important. In recent years, doctors have come to understand that systolic hypertension (high top number with normal lower number) is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The treatment of systolic hypertension is the same as for combined systolic/diastolic hypertension. The RESPeRATE has been shown in clinical studies to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. It certainly has a place in a treatment plan for hypertension. The treatment plan for an individual is best determined by their physician.
Tags: cardiovascular disease, diastolic, Isolated Hypertension, RESPeRATE, systolic hypertension
