- There is no stipulated normal blood pressure that can be universally accepted. It varies with such things as age, sex, activity and state of mind (mental stress/fear). Hence, a diagnosis of high blood pressure should not be done with a single reading. Usually, it is repeated after some time and again repeated after 2 to 5 days and, if the blood pressure is persistently high, only then a diagnosis of high blood pressure can be given. Usually age is the most important factor and it is assessed if the person is having a blood pressure that is normal for his/her age. And of the two numbers, systolic blood pressure is bound to vary more with everyday activities. The diastolic blood pressure (the second number) is fairly constant or shows only little changes, if any. It may show a gradual increase with increasing age. The diastolic blood pressure is related to the stiffness that develops in the heart. In fact, it is diastolic blood pressure that is increased when someone is diagnosed with hypertension.
- Diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure in the arteries during the period of heart beat. Now, during this time, the heart is "resting" but the blood must be kept flowing. It is this diastolic blood pressure that keeps the blood in motion through the blood vessels. Stiffness in heart, blood vessels and smaller vessels in important organs like brain can lead to stroke, organ failure, organ damage and heart attack. Increased diastolic blood pressure may indicate a higher chance for heart attack and stroke.
- In most cases, increased diastolic blood pressure occurs for no clear reason. This is medically known as idiopathic. Generally, the increase is related to lifestyle issues, such as obesity or poor eating habits, or age. However, these are not viewed as causes in the same way as kidney disease might be considered a cause.
- When a clear cause is known, the increased diastolic blood pressure number is usually secondary to the main disease. In these cases, the increase can be caused by organ diseases, such as those of the kidneys or lungs. Other causes include stiffness of blood vessels/heart (due to cholesterol/fat deposits on them), diastolic dysfunction in which the heart does not relax properly, and cardiomyopathy, which includes certain dysfunctions involving the heart muscles that lead to diastolic dysfunction and consequently increased diastolic pressure.
- Poor lifestyle, smoking, chronic alcoholism, high cholesterol levels, obese stature, increased salt consumption, family history of increased blood pressure and diabetes are important risk factors that may lead to increased chance of increased diastolic blood pressure in an individual.
