Last I heard, "ideal" BP was 120/80

At my PCP's request, I've been tracking my BP several days a week and my diastolic pressure has consistently been below 70, usually mid-to-low 60's. Systolic runs mid 1-teens to low 130's.

Is the diastolic number something I should be concerned about?

The difference between the systolic and diastolic numbers is called pulse pressure . If you google that you can find a lot of info.

The 120/80 is more of an overall average. Your BP may run a little lower or a little higher, but still be normal for you. Mine usually runs 110-115/65-70. Anytime I'm taking someone's BP, I'll ask them what it normally runs.

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Last I heard, "ideal" BP was 120/80

Not at you, but at arbitrary, one-size-fits-all standards that don't take factors like age into account.

Isn't age also a factor? I think it normally goes up as someone moves from 30 to 80.

I'm confused myself. Once upon a time, a good diastolic was 100 plus your age. Now they say 12/80 or less, no exceptions. I'm in the same boat with the OP-diastolic often approaches 140 or slightly above, the bottom number is rarely if ever over 80. To make matters worse, once you get to about 60, doctors really don't want to talk to you. It's in, out, bill the insurance company.

My crude understanding of diastolic is that it's the resting back pressure that supplies blood to the heart muscle. This is blocked when the mitral valve is open (systolic). So, I would think a high diastolic would be as concerning as a high systolic but both relate to the ability of the vascular system to expand and contract to absorb this pressure.

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Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Last I heard, "ideal" BP was 120/80

Not at you, but at arbitrary, one-size-fits-all standards that don't take factors like age into account.

I've been conscious of my BP since left the Army in 2000. Then, aged 54, it was 132/75, with a resting pulse of between 40 and 42.

Now, aged 78, my BP has gone up to 140/78, but my resting pulse is still around the early 40's. My chosen sport, around fifty years ago, was biathlon - seems like my figures fitted nicely into that demographic.

My doc tells me to get ready for heart failure at any moment. My life-style is VERY stressful...

120/80 is "ideal" bp, but it is still a range of values. Your readings are mostly within the normal range, with some low normal and some high normal.

You're edging slightly into pre-hypertension, but only just.


BP Chart by kpkina, on Flickr

I have CHF and my meds keep me around 100/60.

Thanks for that chart kkina, very reassuring.

I'm on Chlorthalidone for BP and Tamsulosin for enlarged prostate and the Doc says they can interact with the Tamsulosin amplifying the effect of the Chlorthalidone.