What is Systolic Blood Pressure

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Information on what is systolic blood pressure proves beneficial to keep track of the blood pressure readings of an individual. Actually, it is one of the components that comprise the BP of a person. To know more about systolic blood pressure, you can read magazines and medical books and make use of the online information.

Human body does not have consistency in the BP levels. It fluctuates throughout the day and at different times. Actually, blood pressure in humans is measured as ‘systolic’ and ‘diastolic’. If the systolic BP reading falls between 130 and 139 mm/hg, it is considered as normal. Whereas, if the systolic BP reading of a person exceeds 140 mm/Hg and the diastolic pressure elevates over 90 mm/Hg, the person is said to have high blood pressure problem.

What is Systolic Blood Pressure?

In general, you require blood pressure readings to measure the blood pressure of an individual. You have to keep a track of your cardiac cycle wherein the heart beats and pressure exerted due to the blood pressure helps to get BP readings. These are generally two numbers denoted as a ratio. For example: 120/60. The upper digit depicts the ‘systolic pressure’ of the person while the lower digit depicts ‘diastolic pressure’.

Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure that gets created in the cardiac cycle. It occurs when your heart's left ventricle tightens during the pumping process. This leads to a systolic beat due to the thumping process which results when the heart muscles contract.

Causes of Systolic Blood Pressure

• Too much increase in body fat
• Excessive salt consumption
• Lack of exercise
• Addictions like smoking, alcohol consumption
• Decrease in the level of calcium, magnesium and potassium

Symptoms of Systolic Blood Pressure

• People suffering from the problem of systolic blood pressure also have amplified cardiac activity which is not a good thing for the heart.
• Patients suffering from high systolic BP possess a low plasma count and decrease in the percentage of ‘renin’ and ‘aldosterone’ levels.
• An elderly person suffering from systolic blood pressure is likely to face an elevated reading in the BP level due to low calcium levels. This leads to an increase in the peripheral resistance which causes ‘hypertension’.
• Most common symptoms of systolic blood pressure include: frequent headaches, digestive trouble, a blurred vision and lack of sexual interest.

How to get a Systolic Blood Pressure?

To get readings for systolic blood pressure, you require instruments like a cuff and blood pressure measuring instrument called a ‘sphygmomanometer’. Tie the cuff around your arm and inflate it by pumping air in it. Blood flow from your arteries stops as soon as you tighten the inflating cuff around your arm. This process is easy for an expert where a healthcare professional usually makes use of a stethoscope to listen to the thumping sound to get accurate BP readings.

What is systolic blood pressure is understood best if a person acquires appropriate information on blood pressure readings and different ways to measure BP. If needed, people can also measure their BP at home by using devices like aneroid monitor or digital monitors to measure BP levels. This helps them to keep a constant check on the BP fluctuations and inspires the person to maintain general health and fitness.