Question

What are the consequences of elevated systolic blood pressure? Do they differ at all from those of elevated diastolic pressure?

Answer 1

Im not a cardiologist, but if i remember correctly Systole is the preasure that needs to be overcome inorder for Aorta to open in the left ventriculum. Whilst Diastole is the dilatation of the cavities of the heart during which they fill with blood.

Elevated BP is in general bad for many diffrent organs especially the kidneys due to that they're dependant on a Osmotic preasure, To low preasure jepederize their function to high BP can jeperedize the glomerulus.

A high diastole i assume puts a bigger strain on the heart, while the Systole puts a bigger strain on the other tissues and organs primarily. It's not to uncommon that a high Systolic preasure is considered a factor in aneurysm in the bigger arteries as Femoralis or Aorta.

Again, im not a expert but this would be my spontanious answer im sure someone will fill in the blanks or contradict my statements if it's wrong. I hope it helped.

Answer 2

some answers:
systolic hypertension is usually more of a concern. for 2 different reasons:
end organs and the heart:
the heart generates such a high pressure, meaning its working harder. to achieve that the heart hypertrophies (gets thicker, just like an athlete in a gym) which increases its oxygen consumption - even up to the point hof tissue hypoxia - ie cardiac ischemia (even in teh absence of coroanry disease, i may relate to that further on). since relaxtion is an active, atp dependent phase, and perfusion is getting low, the heart has a hard time relaxing during diastole, less ventricular filling - less pumping blood forward. isnt it cool hypertension, and especially SYSTLOLIC hypertension leads to DIASTOLIC dysfunction.

now for target organs - mainly the brain for thar matter(kidney as well but lets put it aside).
hypertension (again especially systolic) is a major contributor to strokes. 2 mechanisms - high pressure can facilitate the rupture of an artery in the brain (insusceptible spots, not for this post) and a hemmorhagic stroke. that happens in the minority of strokes. most are ischemic strokes, many times from thrombi.
here's the thing chronic high pressure turns blood vessels more pro thrombotic as theey lose their endothelium which has anti thrombotic effects.

hypertension is usually combined :sys+dias
isolated systolic hypertension is common in eldery patients due to arteriosclerosis - that is blood vesseles thickening
isolated diastolic may happen in hypothyroidism if i remember correctly (cant remember now why is that)

Answer 3

"isolated diastolic may happen in hypothyroidism if i remember correctly (cant remember now why is that)" - Well its quite simple i use the rule of thumbs here.
Hyperthyroidism: Elevated metabolism = Hypertension, a patient is warmer, Weightloss, etc. All cells in the body is affected by T3 & T4, it is a hormone which increases the overall in rate at which they conduct their business. T3 & T4 has decreased while TSH values in serum are still elevated could be any numerous reasons such as not enough Iodine in your diet, or radioIodine isotopes with a long half-life etc...

I looked up the cardia chapter in my book, to summerize: high Systole - More central effects such as Ttom described, problems can occure almost anywhere in the body along with the arteries. High systole might lead to a high Disastole.
High diastole: Problems in the heart, followed by almost soley by heart related complications. basically put if you've a high diastole your heart isn't resting.

Answer 4

Absolutely fantastic answers! Thanks, exuras and ttom! :)

Answer 5

:-)