Why Is My Diastolic Blood Pressure High?
Defining High Blood Pressure A person is diagnosed with high blood pressure when her pressure measures 140/90 or more. This means her systolic pressure–measured when the heart beats–is 140 mmHg and her diastolic pressure is 90 mmHG. Even if her diastolic pressure were lower, she would still be diagnosed with high blood pressure because her systolic pressure is high. Causes For about 90 percent of the people with high blood pressure, no cause can be identified. About 5 percent of all people with high blood pressure have the condition as a side effect of another disorder such as kidney problems. A person’s blood pressure can be lowered to some degree by limiting the amount of salt he eats, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol and eating a healthy diet. High blood pressure tends to run in families. It affects more African-Americans than it does individuals of other groups. Effects A high diastolic pressure damages the small blood
