Diastolic vs pulse pressure

[J.C.MacSwell]

For an average individual the medical community seems to suggest a healthy resting systolic blood pressure of no more than 120 and diastolic blood pressure no more than 80 and a resting pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic)be no more than 40.

So given a slightly elevated resting systolic pressure of say 130, what would they like the lower number to look like? And why? 

 

[exchemist]

4 hours ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

For an average individual the medical community seems to suggest a healthy resting systolic blood pressure of no more than 120 and diastolic blood pressure no more than 80 and a resting pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic)be no more than 40.

So given a slightly elevated resting systolic pressure of say 130, what would they like the lower number to look like? And why? 

 

The logic of your post indicates 90. Is this a trick question? 

I presume the difference between the two is a measure of elasticity in the arteries. A difference >40 could suggest inability to stretch sufficiently, under the pressure of the pulse of the heartbeat.

But I'm not medical. 

When I was still rowing, mine used to be 100/60. Nowadays it is 120/80. I'm 68. 

 

[J.C.MacSwell]

3 hours ago, exchemist said:

The logic of your post indicates 90. Is this a trick question? 

I presume the difference between the two is a measure of elasticity in the arteries. A difference >40 could suggest inability to stretch sufficiently, under the pressure of the pulse of the heartbeat.

But I'm not medical. 

When I was still rowing, mine used to be 100/60. Nowadays it is 120/80. I'm 68. 

 

Not a trick question. If the answer is 90, then the pulse pressure limitation would trump that of the diastolic.

Those are certainly good numbers you have for any age.

[exchemist]

22 minutes ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

Not a trick question. If the answer is 90, then the pulse pressure limitation would trump that of the diastolic.

Those are certainly good numbers you have for any age.

I've looked this up. It seems high diastolic pressure can be a problem in itself, indicating an abnormal degree of resistance to blood flow, rather than lack of elasticity in the arteries. I don't think 120/80 is particularly good. It seems nowadays to be regarded as the upper limit of normal. But at least it's not on my list of health conditions to worry about. I have others, as most people my age do.  

[exchemist]

31 minutes ago, Alice Royee said:

knowledgble some symptoms can be shown in dialostic

Szplugg. 

[OldChemE]

On 3/18/2023 at 3:06 AM, J.C.MacSwell said:

For an average individual the medical community seems to suggest a healthy resting systolic blood pressure of no more than 120 and diastolic blood pressure no more than 80 and a resting pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic)be no more than 40.

So given a slightly elevated resting systolic pressure of say 130, what would they like the lower number to look like? And why? 

 

Recently,my wife was in the hospital recovering from an operation, and her blood pressure was very low-- so the doctor kept her in for observation.  I noticed that the automatic blood pressure monitoring system showed not only the systolic and diastolic values, but a value labeled "mean."  However, from the numbers it was clear that there was some sort of algorithm involved, as the third number was not a simple average.  I asked the Nurse the meaning of the value and she told me it was a measure of "stable" blood flow in organs, and the goal was to stay above 60 to avoid medical problems for some organs.  Totally new concept to me, but it suggests the two pressures (S and D) have a more fundamental relationship that is desirable.

[Phi for All]

15 hours ago, OldChemE said:

However, from the numbers it was clear that there was some sort of algorithm involved, as the third number was not a simple average.

DP + 1/3(SP – DP) = Mean Arterial Pressure. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30855814/

[mistermack]

On 3/18/2023 at 10:06 AM, J.C.MacSwell said:

So given a slightly elevated resting systolic pressure of say 130, what would they like the lower number to look like? And why? 

I've been told by the doctor that the pulse pressure is now considered considerably more important that the absolute values of the systolic and diatolic. So according to that opinion, the doctor would prefer to see 90 for the lower number in this case. 

I wasn't told why that is. Presumably the medical science is under constant statistical review.

[exchemist]

6 minutes ago, mistermack said:

I've been told by the doctor that the pulse pressure is now considered considerably more important that the absolute values of the systolic and diatolic. So according to that opinion, the doctor would prefer to see 90 for the lower number in this case. 

I wasn't told why that is. Presumably the medical science is under constant statistical review.

I would think it will be a measure of the elasticity in the arteries, which are supposed to act as dampers, absorbing the shock of the pulse by stretching and then progressively returning to the unstretched state. If your arteries have hardened, the pulse pressure will go up higher because there isn't so much "give" in them.