Systolic blood pressure is the pressure within blood vessels during the systole, the contraction of the heart, especially the ventricles. In common blood pressure measurements, systolic blood pressure is the top number. Systolic blood pressure measurements over 140 mmHg are considered high. Patients with only high levels of systolic blood pressure suffer from a condition called isolated systolic hypertension, reports the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Stroke
Stroke is a very dangerous condition characterized by the interruption of blood flow to the brain. Stroke can be an effect of high systolic blood pressure, states MayoClinic.com. The high blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels within the brain. This damage can cause the arteries to scar and become smaller in diameter. Sometimes the damage can cause the vessel to rupture. Either of these situations significantly reduces the amount of blood reaching the tissues of the brain, which can lead to paralysis of muscles in the face, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, coma and death.
Heart Attack
Patients with isolated systolic hypertension can develop a heart attack, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Heart attacks are caused by the disruption of blood flow to the heart. High blood pressures can lead to damage within the arteries supplying blood to the heart. The damage can start the formation of a plaque within the walls of the artery. The plaque slowly grows and obstructs blood flow within the vessel. Once this occurs, the heart loses much of its blood supply, which leads to damage to the heart muscle.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure has been linked to isolated systolic hypertension, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine in the article "Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Pressure as Predictors of Risk for Congestive Heart Failure in the Framingham Heart Study." The article states that congestive heart failure is most commonly associated with a rise in systolic blood pressure. Congestive heart failure prevents the heart from pumping enough blood to the rest of the body. Though treatable, this disease severely restricts a patient's ability to perform strenuous physical activity.
Chronic Kidney Disease
High systolic blood pressure can cause chronic kidney disease, reports MayoClinic.com. The arteries supplying the kidneys are more prone to the adverse effects of high systolic blood pressure. These vessels can become damaged and severely restrict the amount of blood reaching the kidney. Therefore, some parts of the kidney may become damaged. As the damage progresses, patients develop chronic kidney disease.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Are High Blood Pressure and Hypertension?
- MayoClinic.com: Isolated Systolic Hypertension
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Pressure as Predictors of Risk for Congestive Heart Failure in the Framingham Heart Study ; 7 Jan 2003
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