[Biology Class Notes] on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure Pdf for Exam

When people say “taking your blood pressure,” they mean measuring the force of the blood that your heart pumps through your body. These two figures are referred to as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, both figures are significant, but for different reasons. 

Blood Pressure Overviews 

When the heart beats, blood moves through the arteries to get to different parts of the body. is different from what you see from a garden hose or water faucet. 

The pulse of the blood flow and the pressure it puts on the body change from time to time. You can tell because it’s at its highest point during a heartbeat and at its lowest point between beats (diastolic). 

If the readings are too high, it could mean that a person has high blood pressure, which can be dangerous. If the readings are too low, there may not be enough blood moving to the brain and other important parts of the body. It’s a sign that there might be a heart condition or other problem  

Systolic 

By looking at your pulse, you can tell when your heart is beating. This is called a heartbeat, and this is why it is called systole. It’s the pressure in your heart during a heartbeat and the highest pressure you can measure. 

  

Systolic Blood Pressure is too High:

When a person is exercising, stressed, or has a high heart rate, the heart muscle pushes out blood with more force. Because of it, the pressure in your heart goes up as well.  When there is more pressure, that’s normal. In other words, when the pressure is high while a person is at rest, that’s called high blood pressure.

  

Systolic Blood Pressure is too Low:

The term “hypotension” is used when the systolic blood pressure is lower than it should be. If this low blood pressure is bad enough, it can make you lightheaded, dizzy, or faint. If it goes on for a long time and isn’t treated, your kidneys may start to shut down, which can be very bad. 

Systolic hypotension may happen if there is not enough blood in your body, which can make you feel weak. If you are very thirsty or have a lot of bleeding, this can happen. There isn’t enough blood to move through the body. 

  

Diastolic

The heart takes a break between beats so it can get more blood. This pause between beats is called “diastole.” During this pause before the next heartbeat, your diastolic blood pressure is the number that is read out. 

The diastolic reading, or bottom number, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. This is the period during which the heart receives blood and oxygen. 

 Your diastolic blood pressure reading indicates the following 

1. Less than 80 is considered normal.

2. For stage 1 hypertension, the range is 80-89. 

The diastolic reading, or bottom number, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. This is the period during which the heart receives blood and oxygen, having high blood pressure can make your diastolic number go up even when you’re just lying down and not moving.