Heart Health
Ask the doctor: Treatment for high systolic pressure?
      Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. |
Q. I'm 71 and my systolic pressure is usually in the 150s to 160s, which is high, but my diastolic is usually in the 80s, which is normal. Do I need treatment?
A. A blood pressure measurement includes two numbers: systolic pressure (the upper number) and diastolic pressure (the lower number). Your systolic pressure is high: 140 or over is high. And your lower number is not normal: normal diastolic pressure is below 80. However, even if your diastolic pressure were truly normal, say 70, you would still benefit from treatment. You would have a condition called isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). Many studies have shown that treatment of people with ISH lowers their risk of heart disease and stroke.
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