Blood pressure chart: What your reading means - Mayo Clinic Top number, called systolic pressure The top number measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats Bottom number, called diastolic pressure The bottom number measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association divide blood pressure into four general categories Ideal blood pressure is categorized as
Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern? - Mayo Clinic Isolated systolic hypertension happens when the top blood pressure number is 130 mm Hg or higher and the bottom number is less than 80 mm Hg Isolated systolic hypertension is the most common type of high blood pressure, especially in older age Isolated systolic hypertension can be caused by conditions such as: Artery stiffness
Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health? - Mayo Clinic Pulse pressure is determined from the two numbers of a blood pressure reading Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) The top number is called systolic pressure This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats The bottom number is called diastolic pressure This is
Low blood pressure (hypotension) - Symptoms and causes A blood pressure reading has two numbers: Top number, called systolic pressure The top number is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats Bottom number, called diastolic pressure The bottom number is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats The American Heart Association classifies healthy blood pressure as
High blood pressure (hypertension) - Symptoms and causes Those numbers are the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure Because of the pumping action of the heart, the pressure within the arteries cycles between a higher pressure and a lower pressure The higher pressure occurs during the contraction of the heart's left ventricle The higher pressure is known as the systolic blood
Heart murmurs - Diagnosis treatment - Mayo Clinic A murmur that occurs when blood leaves the heart (systolic murmur) generally is an innocent heart murmur One that happens when the heart fills with blood (diastolic murmur) or throughout the heartbeat (continuous murmur) may signal a heart problem
Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm? - Mayo Clinic The difference can be in the top number, known as systolic pressure Or it can be in the bottom number, known as diastolic pressure People who have a blood pressure difference between arms of 10 to 15 mm Hg for systolic pressure over and over are more likely to have vascular disease They also have a greater risk of getting heart disease over
Heart failure - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should Blood often backs up and causes fluid to build up in the lungs and in the legs The fluid buildup can cause shortness of breath and swelling of the legs and feet Poor blood flow may cause the skin to look blue or gray Depending on your skin color, these color changes may be harder or easier to see Some types
What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains. Hypertension is defined as systolic pressure greater than or equal to 130, or a diastolic pressure greater than or equal to 80 How is it treated? Treatment of hypertension involves lifestyle modification alone or in combination with antihypertensive medication therapy