Systolic Blood Pressure

Have you ever wondered why you feel a rush of blood in a heightened emotional state? Well, it is the blood pressure working in the body that makes you flushed with red. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the circulating blood per unit area on the walls of the blood vessels. It is one of the main vital signs of a healthy body. The usual reference of blood pressure pertains to Brachial Arterial Pressure, that is, the blood pressure in one of the major blood vessels in the upper right or left arm, which takes the blood away from the heart. Blood Pressure is of two types - Systolic and Diastolic and it is measured by an instrument called Sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure is clinically reported in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Systolic blood pressure comes from the word 'systole', which means the contraction of heart chambers. The heart chamber referred here is the left ventricle, although all the chambers of the heart experience systole and diastole in a timely manner. This action pushes the blood ahead through the cardiovascular system.

Systole is divided into three types:

Electrical and Mechanical: It involves the electrical activity stimulating the myocardium of the chambers of the heart. It generates an action which make the muscles contract. Mechanical contraction follows the electrical contraction which forces the blood through the heart.

Atrial Systole: This refers to the contraction of the myocardium of the left and right atria.

Ventricular Systole: When there is a contraction of the myocardium of the left and right ventricles, it is called a ventricular systole.

Diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure of the blood in the arteries, when the ventricles are relaxing after a systole. In short, it is the pressure of the blood measured when the ventricles and atria are relaxed, after a systole.

Systolic Blood Pressure
Systolic blood pressure is the peak pressure of blood in the arteries, occurring towards the end of a cardiac cycle, when the ventricles are going through a contraction. A normal, healthy adult has a systolic blood pressure of 115-120, which is the standard everywhere. Systolic blood pressure is not permanent, it varies from one heartbeat to the other. It also varies in the case of drug consumption, exercise, stress and disease.

High blood pressure can be caused by hereditary factors, obesity, kidney failure and salt intake. In most cases, when it is said that high blood pressure or hypertension is diagnosed, it refers to the systolic blood pressure. In case of hypotension, the blood flow through the arteries and veins is lower than normal.

Low blood pressure is measured by symptoms and signs of low blood pressure, rather than the number. It could be called relative, as the blood pressure levels could vary from individual to individual even though the normal level falls between 80 and 120 . A fall in the systolic or diastolic pressure is enough to be termed as low blood pressure. If your systolic blood pressure is below 115, in spite of the normal diastolic blood pressure, it will be called as low blood pressure.

Isolated Systolic Hypertension:
Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) occurs when the systolic blood pressure is higher in relation to the normal diastolic blood pressure. In the year 1993, ISH was defined as systolic blood pressure above 140 combined with normal diastolic pressure.

Usually, middle-aged people develop hypertension, but nowadays, it is even diagnosed in young people as well. Proper diet, exercise and regular checkups will keep these problems at bay.