Hello Linda,
Let me first define blood pressure goals. You and your doctor should strive to get your BP no higher than 120/80. 121-139/81-89 values are considered pre-hypertension, and 140/90 or higher is hypertension.
Many different factors determine your blood pressure. An important one is the equipment and experience of the BP examiner A mildly elevated diastolic number, especially in the face of a normal (i.e. < 120) systolic number, is usually not treated. Evidence shows that an ausculatory method, that is when a health professional uses a stethascope, to determine BP often (as much as 75% of the time when diastolic BP is alone is elevated) is overestimated by as much as 5-10 mmHg.
As always, you should discuss your BP concerns with your physician, who knows your medical history well.
To your health,
Neil MD
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