Why Is My Bottom Blood Pressure Number High?

Isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) occurs when only your diastolic blood pressure is high

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood to other parts of your body. Your blood pressure can be measured using two numbers:

Systolic (the number on top): pressure exerted when the heart pumps blood throughout the body
Diastolic (the number at the bottom): pressure exerted when the heart relaxes and refills with blood

When your blood pressure is consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg, you are considered to have hypertension.

What is isolated diastolic hypertension?

With hypertension, typically both systolic and diastolic blood pressures are elevated. However, isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) occurs when your systolic blood pressure is normal, and only your diastolic blood pressure is high (over 80 mm Hg).

IDH is an uncommon type of hypertension, accounting for less than 20% of all hypertension cases. Like other types of hypertension, IDH can increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, aneurysm, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss and chronic kidney disease.

What causes high diastolic blood pressure?

Possible causes of isolated diastolic hypertension include:

High-sodium diet
Obesity
Lack of physical activity
Excessive alcohol consumption
Stress and anxiety
Medications including:
- Amphetamines
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antidepressants
- Oral contraceptive pills
- Caffeine
- Decongestants
- Atypical antipsychotics
- Steroids

What are symptoms of high diastolic pressure?

If only your diastolic blood pressure is high, you may not experience any symptoms. However, severe hypertension symptoms include:

Severe headaches
Nosebleeds
Anxiety
Nervousness
Sweating
Fatigue or confusion
Irregular heartbeat
Facial flushing
Dizziness
Vision problems
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Sleeping problems
Blood in the urine
Blood spots in eyes
Pounding in chest, neck or ears

How is high diastolic blood pressure treated?

Isolated diastolic blood pressure can often be managed with lifestyle modifications, dietary supplements, and medications.

Lifestyle modifications

Maintaining a healthy weight
Eating a high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and dairy products
Reducing sodium in the diet
Exercising regularly
Quitting smoking
Limiting alcohol use
Managing stress
Getting adequate sleep
Practicing slow deep breathing
Monitoring blood pressure at home

Dietary supplements

Dietary supplements that may help lower blood pressure include:

Minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium
Supplements that widen blood vessels, such as cocoa, coenzyme Q10, L-arginine and garlic
Omega-3 fatty acids, found fish oil supplements and flaxseeds

Medications

If lifestyle and dietary changes are not enough to lower your blood pressure, your doctor may be able to prescribe medications for you.

QUESTION

Salt and sodium are the same.
See Answer

What are the different blood pressure levels?

Table: Blood pressure levels Blood pressure levels Systolic (mm Hg) Diastolic (mm Hg) Normal blood pressure

Less than 120
Less than 80

Elevated blood pressure or prehypertension

Between 120 to 129
Less than 80

Stage 1 hypertension

Between 130 to 139
Between 80 to 89

Stage 2 hypertension

140 or higher
90 or higher

Hypertensive crisis

Higher than 180
Higher than 120

What are the main types of hypertension?

There are two types of hypertension:

1. Primary or essential hypertension

Primary or essential hypertension is when the hypertension has no identifiable cause (for example, another disease or condition). It develops gradually over years.

This type of hypertension may be the result of multiple factors, including:

Blood plasma volume
Hormone activity
Genes
Physical changes in the body due to age
Environmental factors, such as stress and lack of exercise

2. Secondary hypertension

In some people, hypertension is caused by an underlying health condition. This type of hypertension tends to appear suddenly. Secondary hypertension also generally causes higher blood pressure than primary hypertension.

Secondary hypertension is caused by specific conditions and their complications:

Kidney disease
Congenital heart defects
Congenital defects in blood vessels
Obstructive sleep apnea
Certain endocrine tumors
Adrenal gland tumors
Cushing syndrome
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Thyroid problems
Pregnancy
Obesity
Certain medications, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, pain relievers and some prescription drugs
Use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines

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What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?

Factors that increase the risk of hypertension include:

Being over the age of 60, when arteries stiffen and narrow due to plaque buildup
Being overweight or obese
Regular tobacco use
Alcohol abuse
Male gender
Sedentary lifestyle
Lack of exercise
High fat intake
High salt intake
Low potassium intake
Stress
Family history of hypertension
Existing health conditions:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Sleep apnea
- High cholesterol levels