studies showing that systolic pressure was generally a better predictor of people’s risk of heart disease and stroke.
In addition, Watson said, high systolic blood pressure is more prevalent, because of natural changes in blood pressure as people age.
“As we get older, systolic blood pressure keeps marching up,” she explained. Diastolic blood pressure, on the other hand, generally peaks when people are in their 40s to 60s — and then it declines.
But it’s clear, Watson said, that while systolic and diastolic blood pressure are different, they both deserve attention.
In the latest study, cardiovascular risks rose with each “unit increase” in systolic pressure above 140, by about
