First let me say I plan to ask my doctor at my next appointment but I wanted to ask you ladies if you knew anything about this while I was waiting. The difference between the systolic and diastolic numbers in your bp is called your pulse pressure. I remember hearing a few years ago when my aunt was having problems that not only do you want your BP to in a good range but also that there pulse pressue to be within a certain range. I can't remember what that range is. I have looked this up and found a few things...most inidicate that that 40 is a good PP. Anything too high or too low could signal another problem. I haven't been able to find much on that. I did see that below 25 was too low (only saw that on one site).
Any words of wisdoms from your own doctors on this?
**added** my BP has always been in the good range and because of that I have never really paid attention to it. They take my BP and say it's good and that's been it. I have had a few problems lately and started to pay attention to it. My pulse pressue is typically 20-25 (which seems to be low).
Interesting. I have never heard my cardiologist refer to my 'pulse pressure'. Then again, I never knew to ask about that.
Hi, L.:
The B/P as you know can have a range like 120/90, 120/80,
100/60, or anything between.
Athletes' B/P can range on the lower side, as well as the heart range.
The HR can range from 60 to 80 BPM (beats per minute). The B/P can range because of stress and/or over work.
The B/P can range because of activity versus rest.
This is why you have made an appointment with the Doc. You know what you have been doing and experiencing. He/she will just affirm what you already know.
Hope all is well for you at your visit.
D.
Most people have a difference of about 40, like 120 over 90 or 120 over 80. The lower the top number the better but the bottom one is the one they worry about when the person is experiencing low BP. Mine is normally low, has been all my life.
My MIL's was low too. Her doc had her salt everything and even talk salt pills in the summer to try and keep it up. She would even salt her toast. I saw her once sprinkling salt on her ice cream.
I think that a range on top and a range on bottom is what most look for, if the lower is below 70 they are going to look more closely at you, if it is above 80/90 they are going to look more closely at you.
Same with the upper. If it's over 100 they may want you to monitor it for a few weeks on a daily basis, if it's over 120 they may have you on daily meds. If it's under 90 they may have you on meds too.
Hi! This is my problem a lot of the time also. Since I had my son by emergency c- in 2006 (HELLP syndrome), I have had problems with my BP. I have been trying VERY low doses of different medications to try to get my numbers to "diverge". My systolic number stays elevated, even when I am resting - so I get readings like 125/100, or 115/95. The doctors don't like that my body won't "relax" enough to allow the lower number to come down, and they mutter things about "pulse pressure" a lot. I think it's a sign of possible future hardening of the arteries/stroke risk (which runs in my family)... but I just try to exercise, eat right and take the meds regularly.
For example, if your resting blood pressure is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), your pulse pressure is 40 — which is considered a normal and healthy pulse pressure.You don't want it much higher or lower for that but Blood pressure itself & pp are not always taken at same time. For example they usually only take blood pressure and you want that between 130/85 to the 105/70 range though children and those that do alot of sports may go down to 90/60. Too high or too low can range your risks from stroke to passing out easily to coma . So Good luck with the Dr.
