How Do You Measure Diastolic Blood Pressure?

Inflate the

cuff

to about 30 mmHg above the pressure at which the pulse disappears. Deflate the cuff slowly. While deflating the cuff a pulsatile thrill can be palpated, the pressure at which thrill appears is a systolic pressure and, the disappearance of the thrill is the Diastolic Blood Pressure.

How do you measure systolic and diastolic blood pressure?

As the cuff deflates, the first sound they hear through the

stethoscope

is the systolic blood pressure. It sounds like a whooshing noise. The point where this noise goes away marks the diastolic blood pressure. In a blood pressure reading, the systolic number always comes first, and then the diastolic number.

Which number is the diastolic pressure and what is it measuring?

Blood pressure is measured as two numbers: Systolic blood pressure (the first and higher number) measures pressure inside your arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure (the second and lower number)

measures the pressure inside the artery when the heart rests between beats

.

How is the diastolic pressure determined?

Blood pressure is measured as two numbers: Systolic blood pressure (the first and higher number) measures pressure inside your arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure (the second and lower number)

measures the pressure inside the artery when the heart rests between beats

.

How can I check my diastolic blood pressure without equipment?

First, locate the artery below the thumb on the inside of

your wrist

and place two fingers there. Count how many times you feel your heartbeat over a 15-second period, and then multiply your count by four to get your resting heart rate. When you're checking pulse by hand, you're looking for more than just a number.

What is a good diastolic blood pressure?

A diastolic blood pressure of somewhere

between 90 and 60

is good in older folks. Once you start getting below 60, that makes people feel uncomfortable. A lot of older folks with low diastolic pressures get tired or dizzy and have frequent falls.

What is the minimum diastolic blood pressure?

A systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure of lower than 80 mmHg is generally regarded as normal. A blood pressure reading lower than

90/60 mmHg

is generally considered low blood pressure (hypotension).

What is more important systolic or diastolic?

Over the years, research has found that

both numbers

are equally important in monitoring heart health. However, most studies show a greater risk of stroke and heart disease related to higher systolic pressures compared with elevated diastolic pressures.

What are the symptoms of high diastolic blood pressure?

• Severe headaches.
• Nosebleeds.
• Anxiety.
• Nervousness.
• Sweating.
• Fatigue or confusion.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Facial flushing.

What does it mean when diastolic BP is high?

A high diastolic reading (equal to or greater than 120 mmHg) is linked to

a higher risk of disease involving the large artery called the aorta

that carries blood and oxygen from the heart to distant body parts.

What is the normal blood pressure by age?

Which arm to measure blood pressure right or left?

(It's best to take your blood pressure

from your left arm if you are right-handed

. However, you can use the other arm if you have been told to do so by your healthcare provider.) Rest in a chair next to a table for 5 to 10 minutes. (Your left arm should rest comfortably at heart level.)

Can you feel high blood pressure?

Most people who have

high blood pressure do not have symptoms

. In some cases, people with high blood pressure may have a pounding feeling in their head or chest, a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness, or other signs.

What affects your diastolic blood pressure?

In other cases, some uncontrollable factors — such as biological sex, family history, and race — may increase the risk of high blood pressure.

Healthful lifestyle changes

, including eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, may contribute to lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure.

When is diastolic too low?

If you have a low diastolic pressure, it means you

have a low coronary artery pressure

, and that means your heart is going to lack blood and oxygen. That is what we call ischemia, and that kind of chronic, low-level ischemia may weaken the heart over time and potentially lead to heart failure.

Is 120 over 60 a good blood pressure?

120/80 mm Hg

is considered normal for healthy adults

. 90/60 mm Hg or below is considered low blood pressure.