Is your bottom blood pressure number high every time you check your blood pressure? If yes, it may be because of diastolic hypertension. Wondering what it is? Continue reading to learn about “What is diastolic hypertension?” and find out the causes, symptoms, and treatment of high diastolic blood pressure.
Let’s get started!
Overview
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood to your other body parts. While checking blood pressure, you might have noticed two numbers: Systolic (the reading on top) and Diastolic (the number at the bottom).
Systolic blood pressure reading tells the amount of pressure exerted when your heart pumps blood throughout your body. Whereas, diastolic blood pressure reading measures the pressure in the arteries when your heart rests between beats.
A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mm Hg. But if your blood pressure is consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg, you may have hypertension. If this is the case for you, please feel free to visit Aqeeq Internal Medicine because we are the team that can help!
What is isolated diastolic hypertension?
Hypertension is a condition in which both systolic and diastolic blood pressures are high. However, you are likely suffering from isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) when your systolic blood pressure is normal, but your diastolic blood pressure consistently remains high (over 80 mm Hg).
IDH is not a very common type of hypertension. It only accounts for less than 20% of all hypertension cases in the United States. Like any other type of hypertension, IDH can elevate the risk of stroke (brain damage), heart disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, hardening of arteries, vision loss, and many other medical complications.
What causes isolated diastolic hypertension?
Possible causes of high diastolic blood pressure include:
- Obesity
- High-sodium diet
- Anxiety and stress
- Alcohol consumption
- Lack of physical activity
- Certain medications (e.g. antidepressants, antipsychotics, NSAIDs, Caffeine, Steroids, etc.)
What are the symptoms of isolated diastolic hypertension?
You may not experience any symptoms if your diastolic blood pressure is high. However, symptoms of severe isolated diastolic hypertension include:
- Nosebleeds
- Severe headaches
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Nervousness or confusion
- Dizziness or fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat or shortness of breath
- Vision and sleeping problem
- Chest pain
- Pounding in neck, chest, or ears
- Blood in the urine
- Facial flushing
- Blood spots in eyes
How is isolated diastolic hypertension treated?
You can often manage high diastolic blood pressure with lifestyle modifications, medications, and dietary supplements. Let’s discuss them further:
Lifestyle modifications
Lifestyle changes that may help reduce isolated diastolic hypertension include:
- Maintain healthy weight
- Consume a high-fiber diet (fiber-rich fruits and vegetables)
- Eat fat-free or low-fat dairy products like cheese and yogurt
- Reduce sodium in your diet
- Exercise regularly
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Quit smoking
- Get adequate sleep
- Manage your stress
- Monitor your blood pressure readings at home
- Practice slow deep breathing
Dietary supplements
Some of the dietary supplements that may help lower blood pressure are:
- Minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium
- Supplements that can widen your blood vessels, like cocoa, garlic, and L-arginine
- Flaxseeds, fish oil supplements, and omega-3 fatty acids
Medications
If dietary and lifestyle modifications don’t help lower your blood pressure, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe medications for you to help reduce isolated diastolic hypertension.
To schedule an appointment with our top-rated internist in Houston, please call at 832-786-8195 or visit us in person. Give us a call today for more information, or book an appointment online now!