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Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure tends to rise until about age 55 and then begins to fall; systolic blood pressure continues to rise with age. Previously, such elevations in systolic pressure were thought to be a normal part of aging--caused by a gradual loss of elasticity in the arterial walls. Now, however, a substantial body of evidence shows that high systolic blood pressure with a diastolic blood pressure under 90 mm Hg carries a high risk of heart attack and stroke. In light of such findings, guidelines recommend using systolic blood pressure as the standard measure for the evaluation and treatment of hypertension, especially for people age 50 and older.
A high systolic blood pressure with a normal diastolic pressure is common in older adults. In fact, 65 percent of people over age 60 with hypertension have a condition called isolated systolic hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher and a diastolic blood pressure under 90 mm Hg. Isolated systolic hypertension is associated with an increased risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, and kidney disease.
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