High Diastolic BP Reading

[dave3422]

Hello and thank you very much for taking my questions.

I am 32, Male, non-smoker, good overall health, exercise 3-4 times per week, good diet, etc.

For 6 months last year I monitored by blood pressure after some high readings early in the year.  I charted them in a spreadsheet and noted the time and date.  The overall average reading was 120/76.  However, just in the last few weeks, since the end of December I have noticed a sudden jump in the Diastolic number.  It seems to average 84-92.  But the systolic number is still in the low/normal range of 118-126.  

Now, I was on a very low dose (12.5 mg/day) of Toprol-XL (for most of last year) and my doctor said I could stop the med which I did a few weeks ago.

However, the high Diastolic readings occurred both while I was on the Toprol-XL (a few weeks before I stopped) and have persisted since.

Questions:

What might cause a sudden rise in the average diastolic reading?

How is a normal systolic and high-normal diastolic blood pressure treated?  I read online that a high diastolic reading is a "strong predictor" of heart attacks in the young.

Thank you,

Dave

[najju]

Hi,
i am 40yrs old a diabetic patient for last 4 yrs, but it is under control without medicene, but since last 4, 5 months my BP 120/91, the diastolic is little high and still i am not taking any madicene for BP, kindly advise for this and in this case can i make excercise and jogging.

Thanks

[LukeL]

I have the exact opposite problem of you a reading of 125/60 to 130/65 most of the time. But this is at the BP station at Wal-Mart which I know can be very inacurrate. Even mechanical devices in the hospital can give very strange readings. (in my case) So I would only trust these results if a health care proffesional is taking them with a traditional BP device.

I also know how confusing the numbers can be one sight say systolic is the key number others say diastolic, still others say the key factor is the difference between the two.

[Forum-M.D.-bkj]

Dave,

Thanks for the post.  We had a similar question a few days ago, forgive my cut and paste!

Diastolic and systolic blood pressures are related. Similar things can raise both including hereditary factors, diet, stress, pain, etc.  

We have become very aggressive with treatment of hypertension both systolic and diastolic.  Elevations of both are treated the same.

The latest guidelines even classify a level of 'pre'-hypertension in order to increase awareness of the disease and potential complications.

You are right on the edge between pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension. I would first institute aggressive lifestyle modifications and diet control as well as looking for factors that might have precipitated the rise. I would maintain close follow-up and recommend ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

If those measures did not work I would probably pursue treatment.

good luck