High Diastolic Blood Pressure, Normal Systolic Pressure - Why?

Have you visited the doctor about the high diastolic pressure, or have you noticed it on a home monitor etc? (Could be a fault with the machine perhaps?) I believe a common cause for a narrow pulse pressure (the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure) is problems with the aortic valve such as aortic stenosis (narrowing of the valve), and some of your symptoms do sound consistent (swollen ankles, fatigue, dizziness), although the fact that you've visited ER should rule out any really obvious heart problems (how long ago did you visit?), even so, it wouldn't hurt to arrange an appointment with a doctor/cardiologist (maybe try to get an echocardiogram or chest X-ray if possible), and if your problem is due to anxiety then hopefully they will at least offer you some relief...hope this helps...Delancey

When you visit your doctor next time take your machine for BP with you and test it after the nurse takes your blood pressure.

Hang on a second. I just want to make sure ya got this right.Systolic is always over Diasolic pressure. Like 120/80. If you are saying that you Systolic is high and you Diasolic is low that woul be like 50/120. A blood pressure cuff read the Systolic first and then the last beat you hear is your Diasolic. So I get this funny feeling ya done got em backwards. If by chace what you have written is true. Then you would mean you pressure is like 60/40 or lower. If that is the case I hope you have been to the ER or a doctor already. You can faint witha pressure like that.

Carrie

I, too, have the same exact symptoms.....And "really?" to the idiots who replied....the diastolic, bottom number, is high. Please reply if you can draw a conclusion. Thank you.

I am 25 years of age and I hav same problem and I have gone to a lot of Dr and they have diagnosed me as of a patient of anxiety.
I guess its anxiety and ask dr for the anxiet meds they work but sometimes they make me unbeliever of being anxiety patient as my diastolic blood pressure raises a bit.
Anyways if someone else come up with some other treatment please let me know.
Adnan

I am 35, in excellent shape and not at all over weight, and having all the same symptoms. My doctors a pulmonologist and a cardiologist have done pulmonary stress test ( as the inhalers were not working on my sob) a tred mill cardio stress test w nuclear imaging ( all arteries are good n clear) -I m in really great shape and always have been in to sports and exercise. Cardiologist has ordered more blood labs, and 24 hour urine labs. A eco-cardiogram and an arterial renal ultrasound. But they both are perplexed as so far my tests are clear but my symptoms are getting worse. my usual bp has always been 114/74 recently it has been 118/101 with normal resp. rate and normal pulse rate. My Dr. said could be related to having toxemia when I was pregnant w my first 10 years ago...Hmmm...Anyone????

Hi, I have the same deal. I'm 41 and a fit runner. I eat healthy and I'm not over weight. My bp was always perfect even through 3 pregnancies. My last pregnancy I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (toxemia) but I got it after the my daughter was born. I spent 3 days in the hospital on magnesium sulfate. Now 6 years later my diastolic is running at on average 90 to 100 and my systolic is usually in normal range sometimes it elevates too. When I run I take my pulse too see how my heart recovers when I switch to a walk. My heart rate recovers from 160 to 130 with in one minute. A trainer told me that was a sign of good heart recovery..who knows on that. Also, I'm under alot of anxiety right now with multiple issues school, unemployment, chronically ill child, divorced, 3 kids!!!

I am 29 years old and pregnant with my 6th child.I have been having the same problem with my systolic being normal and my diastolic running over 100?I have been diagnosed with chronic hypertension in pregnancy but usually both #'s have been high (at one point 200/117)before I started meds.This is something new.seems as if my bp meds are only controlling my top # .If anyone has any idea what might be causing this I'd sure like to know.
Tasha

I also have a problem with my diastolic. It is almost always 105 to 112 and my systolic is usually 132 or even as low as 123. The 123/112 scared me. I have had this problem for a couple of years now and have been treated by Dr's, but to no avail. The meds they give me only make the systolic go even lower (that is when it got to 123/112). I also tried an anti-anxiety, but had every side affect including swelling and hostility. I would love to know what to do. I may go see a cardiologist.

The medication will reduce both Systolic and Diastolic, there is no medications to lower only Diastolic. If you think anti-anxiety helps you try very small dose to avoid side effects and they have variaty of them.
I have same problem and my BP flactuate which is not good.

Definitely go see a cardiologist!!

K. RN

The best blood pulse Systolic - Diastolic should be 40.
You need to see your doctor because your heart is not resting between pulses or not expanding. Systolic is always higher than diastolic.

Nonstop, your symptoms are very familiar to me.

Since you posted your inquiry several years ago, I sincerely hope you have found resolution to them. With that in mind, it is for those individuals whose internet searches have brought them to this page that I am taking the time to write. I feel compelled to do so because, after 20+ years of dealing with the symptoms listed below and seeking an explanation for them, I finally have a diagnosis. Unfortunately, it is one that I had to discover myself through extensive research. Luckily, having a background in medicine (specifically, psychiatry), I have been fortunate enough to be able to communicate with my own doctors on a professional level. This is most significant because, as a medical professional, I can assure you that when a patient presents with what appears to be widely varied and transient symptoms (i.e. when symptoms involving more than two systems--such as the digestive, endocrine, musculoskeletal systems, etc.), we are trained to look for a psychological cause. I do believe this is a huge deterrent in proper diagnoses of conditions such as the one I now know I have. I believe my condition is much more common than current medical data supports�mainly because it absolutely affects every system in the body, and at varying rates and degrees over a prolonged period of time.

I�m listing (in lay-terms) the symptoms I've dealt with, more or less, since puberty. I do so hoping that if someone out there recognizes them as their own, it might facilitate proper diagnosis:

1. Chronic low blood pressure�sometimes extreme (i.e. 80/40)--causing Orthostatic Intolerance (OI), which led to a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)�resulting in dizziness when standing, blacking out, severe heart palpitations, etc.,

2. Periods of quick weight gain (5-10+ lbs in a week!), often followed by similarly quick weight loss months later,

3. Shortness of breath, feeling of inability to �catch� breath.

4. Depression--at times severe

5. Rapid mood swings/difficulty with mood regulation (lots of irritability!),

6. Debilitating fatigue and mental fogginess,

7. Short-term memory loss, confusion, inability to articulate thoughts,

8. Attention Deficit issues�at times severe,

9. Hypersensitivity in all sensory regions--particularly hearing, touch and a condition of constant photosensitivity,

10. Severe post-exercise exhaustion, excessive sweating

11. Hypersensitivity to cold, as well as significant intolerance of heat resulting in severe heat exhaustion,

12. Cycling between significant edema and dehydration; periods of constant bladder activity

13. Hormone fluctuations leading to menstrual irregularities, hot-flashes and other GYN-related symptoms

14. Cycles of impaired mucosal activity--generally resulting in periods of extremely dry mouth, eyes, nostrils, vagina, etc. These periods often lead to sores in my nose and has caused my teeth to become quite mobile,

15. Numbness and tingling in the extremities, occasional muscular dysfunction (which is especially troublesome because I power-lift and am accustomed to being quite strong)

16. Sudden bouts of blurred vision, �tunnel� vision, �floaters� in my vision, at times pulsating visual disturbances, eye socket pain, etc.

17. Intermittent periods of constant headache�often lasting for weeks at a time.

18. Additional alarming symptoms pertaining to the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems (i.e. involuntary muscle spasms, intermittent �shooting� nerve pain, etc.)

19. Painful joints and back, swelling of joints

20. Frequent kidney and urinary tract infections (despite excellent hygiene)

21. Very easy and frequent bruising, periods where wounds heal slowly

22. Significant lymphatic impairment�calcification of numerous lymph nodes throughout the body

23. Persistent insomnia--generally untreatable despite numerous therapeutic approaches.

24. Shorter periods of extended sleep, profound drowsiness and persistent lethargy.

25. Constant digestive maladies such as: cycling between enzymic and, thus, digestive inefficiency (resulting in lots of gas, bloating, nausea, constipation, etc.) to extreme hyperactive GI activity

26. Issues with regulation of flora resulting in recurrent yeast infections of the mouth, scalp, vaginal region etc as well as the above-mentioned digestive issues, skin rashes, etc.

I�m sure I�m leaving things out but, as you can imagine, the impact on my general sense of wellness and functionality are profound. I have been screened for Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and various other conditions. I�ve seen myriad specialists over the years, despite a general unwillingness to seek treatment. Since symptoms are often transient and unpredictable, my own doctor and friends/peers in the medical community have, in conversation, often noted that in a normal patient evaluation, they would assume the individual�s symptoms were psycho- and somatogenic. It is only because of my general avoidance of treatment and medical background that I believe I�ve been taken seriously at all.

Knex..

Could u tell us what ur diagnosis' is? My daughter is going thru some medical issues now and she has had almost every symptom u have posted.

to knex-
what is your diagnosis? I have all the same symptoms that you described and have just been diagnosed with episodic Cushing's syndrome due to an adrenal tumor. This has taken me several years. Those with BP problems-please check aldosterone, cortisol and renin levels, especially if meds are not working. Primary aldosteronism is more common than you think.

Hello just read your post. I was wondering if you had the sugery yet to have the tumor remove. I have been diagnose with the same thing and kind of nervous about having the sugary. Just wanted to see if it went well for you?

to knex and myranne--

I hope that you might find this reply at some point. I am a 30 year-old female having basically the same symptoms (all except swollen joints--they always ache, but haven't swelled) and weight gain. I have just been losing weight (too much now), even on a healthy 1800 calorie diet full of whole grains, fruit and veggies.

My BP has been doing the exact same thing--diastolic is almost always high, and systolic is normal. I am exhausted all of the time, have what I call a "perma-headache", and generally have had all of the symptoms that knex listed (except the ones I mentioned above). I know that many of these can also be symptoms of hyperthyroidism (sometimes hypo too).

myranne, do you have any more information about Cushings that might be helpful. I am going to the doc on Thurs., but I could use all the help I can get. Thanks in advance.

LB

knex -

can you tell us what the diagnosis was?? I am having the exact same symptoms for over a year now and am desperate for a solution, thanks!

Great information everyone! So much of the same symptoms. I have a pituitary tumor which is often the cause of Cushings, but my blood work does not support that I have Cushings. Instead my diastolic blood pressure continues to run high despite weight loss, exercise and diet change. My family has a history of strokes, so high blood pressure is truly something I'm trying desperately to avoid. Very frustrating. Been to Cardiologists, Endocriniologists, Rheumotologists and everyone in between. Helping to keep the medical industry in business, but not finding solid answers. Good luck to everyone. Please post if you find a solution or answer to your high diastolic pressure. Thanks!

Have the same problems now for over three years! Also supporting the medical field with every test and lab work tha can be done with no answers. Times I have thought ok I am just crazy or the Doctors think I am! But my bp is generally in the 90's for thesystolic but always 110 or higher for the diastolic! God how I need help, please someone give us some answers!

Systolic can not be higher than diastolic. if the difference between both is close to 40 you are ok.

KNEX:

Could you tell us what ur diagnosis' is? My 21 year old daughter is going thru some medical problems now.. She has had almost all of the symptoms you posted. Please email me if you can..

I am a 32 year old fit female with all of the above symptoms. After being told it was anxiety for years, & symptoms worsening I was diagnosed with Dysautonomia More specific, P.O.T.S. (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and N.M.S. (Neurallymediated syncope). The cardiologist ordered a tilt table test to make the diagnosis. It's not neccessarily a heart problem as much as a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, (the brain telling the heart what to do) This was just my diagnosis, it's worth researching, but still see a cardiologist!

Interesting. I am reading this thread as someone with the overall basic issue of high diastolic only. But what you mentioned is similar to what my mother went through: she had too-low BP, and the tilt table and other tests determined a similar diagnosis that the nervous system wasn't properly communicating with the circulatory system. I didn't think there'd be a connection between me & my mum since hers was low & mine is high, but if it was your story, I now know to ask a doctor about this for myself! So thanks. (BTW, my mother's condition is managed with a pacemaker.)

I have high diastolic and low systolic, difference of more than 70. I have controlled anxiety through medication. I have low pulse. I have taken high blood meds for a long time. I cannot lower the diastolic without lowering my pulse too much. Should I begin differing the meds? High blood pressure runs in my family and have caused previous generations stroke and need for dialysis later. I have not found any answers and my doctor ignores it. I have taken stress tests with cardiologist and EKG's regularly and no problems exist. I do not smoke, only slightly over weight and even without extra weight and limiting sodium, I have high diastolic and I know the difference.

You sound EXACTLY like me....I was starting to feel so alone!!! Please writhe back and maybe we can help each other!!!
Jenny

I have the high diastolic also. I also have Stiff-persons (moersch-woltmann) which is basically flunctating muscle spasms with thyroid disease. The muscle spasms could explain some of that I believe. Pain in joints also. I am not overweight in the least, exersize as often as possible (probably too much for disease) and am not elderly. Altho today my bp was 207/139. took a propanolol and it went down to 136/109. Cutting caffeine out for sure...oh my.

Never got the reply I was looking for. I'm going thru some of these symptoms. It really scares me.

Me too. I often have a pressure pulse (systolic - diastolic) of 80 or more. Whoopee I'm gonna die. Oh wait a minute, I'm going to die anyway, right? It's time to realize the emperor has few clothes. Medicine has advanced light years in trauma/accident medicine. In chronic condition medicine we are where we were in prehistoric witch doctor times. In cases of chronic illness, doctors usually have no idea of cause and the treatments are symptom masking at best, with side effects that usually are as bad or worse than the disease. Thanks to massive salesmanship by doctors and pharmaceutical companies and hospitals, they perpetuate the fiction that they have answers, and that we need there services to prolong our lives. The same fiction that had doctor's touting the health benefits of Chesterfield cigarettes 60 years ago.

I'mm 66 and I have come to the conclusion that most of what's wrong will me will never get any better. Ther only thing that can get better is my attitude and acceptance that this is what it means to be human.