Diastolic blood pressure, or the bottom number that you get while measuring blood pressure, is no less important than the systolic blood pressure reading and can tell a lot about your overall health. The number is linked to a higher risk of complications involving the large artery called the aorta that carries blood and oxygen from the heart to distant body parts.
If your diastolic blood pressure is constantly coming high, it could pose a threat to your brain, and kidney, and lead to vision troubles and aneurysm formation.
What Is Diastolic Blood Pressure
The circulatory strain of an individual is portrayed by two numbers. The primary number is called a systolic pulse. This is the strain in veins when the heart is contracting and shooting blood out of the heart. The subsequent number is known as diastolic pulse. This is the strain in veins when the heart is unwinding.
When should you visit a doctor?
If you monitor BP at home and consistently notice high diastolic readings, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional for a proper evaluation and guidance on how to manage it through lifestyle changes or medication if necessary.
Keep in mind that lifestyle factors like stress, lack of physical exercise, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking can contribute to high pressure levels. Making positive changes in these areas may help lower your diastolic pressure.
Complications Of High Blood Pressure
1. Risk of heart disease: Elevated diastolic BP can significantly increase your risk of heart disease. It puts additional strain on your heart and can lead to conditions like coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
2. Stroke risk: High diastolic blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke. When blood pressure is consistently high, it can damage blood vessels in the brain, leading to the formation of blood clots or ruptures in the vessels.
3. Kidney damage: The kidneys play a vital role in regulating BP. Prolonged high diastolic pressure can damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys, potentially leading to chronic kidney disease.
4. Vision problems: Uncontrolled high diastolic blood pressure may harm the blood vessels in your eyes, leading to vision problems, including retinopathy.
5. Aneurysm formation: Prolonged high diastolic BP can weaken the walls of blood vessels, making them susceptible to aneurysms, which are dangerous bulges or weak spots in blood vessel walls.