What causes cystolic high blood pressure?

Question

My cystolic pressure is almost always high or borderline and diastolic is usually arount 60 to 65. I amy currently taking 150 mg. of Atenolol daily and still have problems.

Answer 1

sissyd,

From your description, it seems that you have Isolated Systolic Hypertension. I would be a bit concerned about it, for if your diastolic pressure is normal and your systolic is high, you very well could have a developing problem. The greater the difference between the systolic and diastolic (what is known as "pulse pressure"), the harder each pulse is on your artery walls.

This condition often comes from inflammation in the arteries themselves. This inflammation stiffens the artery walls and is considered to be an indication of artery damage already present.

If your systolic is borderline high, then it's around 150? 160? With a diastolic of 60 or 65, that's a pretty hefty pulse pressure, and I would think that you'd want to do a few things about it:

1. Do tell your doctor about it and see if he can prescribe a different hypertension medication, perhaps a slow-acting nitrate, or perhaps felodipine or ramipril (or both of these), all of which have been shown effective against Isolated Systolic Hypertension, the kind that you apparently have.

2. Change your lifestyle, especially your diet. If you haven't already, you must cut out salt and alcohol. You must also lose weight. Now, I'm not saying that you are excessively heavy, I don't know, but I'll bet you could stand to lose a few pounds. That will help, too.

Some years ago my doc told me that he'd like me to lose a few pounds, and I thought he was being excessively picky. I am 5' 8" and I weighed 160 pounds, only two pounds over what had been considered my "ideal weight."

Well, several years later, for other reasons I did lose weight. I'm now 140 pounds and feel great, run faster, my cholesterol is down significantly, and my blood pressure--never high to begin with--is even lower than it was. Losing weight even when we are not considered heavy is beneficial. Most of us in the West weigh too much, anyway. We've had plenty of studies to prove that.

3. Exercise, especially running. That will lower your blood pressure, weight, and increase your heart efficiency.

4. Take aspirin and floss. No, really. A study a couple of years ago showed that people with a higher number of mouth/gum bacteria were at a higher risk of heart disease. We're not yet sure of the cause, but we know this correlation. Since part of your problem is most likely inflammation, anyway, cut down on all sources of it in your body, especially the one(s) that we already know are associated with problems.

And the aspirin will cut down on the inflammation you most likely have in your arteries.

Please go to your doctor for a different medication tomorrow. While I almost always err on the safe side, in a case like this I'd feel a whole lot better if you were on a medication that we know works while you started your lifestyle changes.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Actually the systolic blood pressure reflects the stiffness of your arteries a little more than reflecting you blood pressure as such it tends to rise with age. For many years docs didn't worry about too high systolic feeling that diastolic was more important we now know that it is just as important to control this reading. It is harder to do but can be done in your case almost certainly needs 2 or more anti-hypertensives I would argue there is not much point increasing atenolol to 150mg (or more) I would normally add something else in at 50-100mg such as an ACE ,an Angiotensin 11 receptor,a calcium channel blocker or even good old bendroflumethiazide.

Answer 3

Usually if one medication is not lowering your blood pressure sufficiently then you should go back to your doctor and begin a second medication. Increasing the dose of a single tablet will only do so much, once it has reached its limit you may need to add a different kind of tablet.
Of course diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are probably the most important and will have significant effects:
Stop smoking ( if you do!)
Maintain a moderate alcohol intake, no binges but you don't need to go cold turkey either
Try whatever exercise you can manage, even a gentle walk is better than nothing
Diet-wise the usual rules apply, lean meat, fish, veggies, low salt content (including salt content in soluble medication formulations)
Some medications can also affect blood pressure so always ask a doctor or pharmacist before you take anything, prescription or over-the-counter

Answer 4

it is 'systolic'.
Think of Blood pressure like water going through a hose - blood is the same, going through veins.
Blood pressure (BP) is 2 readings - the first higher one, systolic is when the heart contracts.
The lower, or diastolic, is the most important reading, it is the pressure of the blood when the heart is relaxed. 60 -65 is a good reading
The first reading can alter quite alot, and is probably not worth worrying about too much. Running, anxiety and emotion can all alter it. It is the second,lower diastolic reading that doctors take most notice of. So don't worry, just go and get a check up with your GP now and then.

Answer 5

BP is measured taking 2 readings the upper is systolic, the lower diastolic. We now feel they are both equally important in giving disease risk. Most blood pressure is classified as essential or idiopathic, which is doctor speak for we don't know. Obesity and lifelong salt intakes that are too high undoubtedly contribute, so does lack of exercise.

Answer 6

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