Why is only my bottom blood pressure number high?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
The bottom number, diastolic, is the pressure between beats. Isolated high diastolic readings are more common in younger adults and often track with stress, alcohol, salt and weight.
It still counts. Sustained diastolic readings of 90 or above carry risk and respond to the same treatment as any high blood pressure.
Check your cuff fits and your arm is supported at heart height, because poor technique inflates the bottom number first. Then bring a week of readings to your doctor.
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If you are buying a monitor
Get an upper-arm cuff, not a wrist one, from a validated brand like Omron. Expect $30 to $60. Check the cuff size fits your arm; a too-small cuff reads high.
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General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.
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Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.