The diastolic reading reflects blood pressure while the heart is at rest between beats.

That means their systolic blood pressure reading (top number) was 120 to 139 and/or their diastolic (bottom number) reading was 80 to 89.

That number (80) indicates the pressure in the system when the heart is relaxed (diastolic reading).

People with diastolic readings of over 90 are considered to have high blood pressure.

In the United States, high blood pressure is defined as a systolic reading of 140 or higher and a diastolic reading of 90 or more.

The findings concern systolic blood pressures from 140 to 159 millimeters of mercury and a diastolic reading (the lower number) below 90.

(Isolated means the hypertension definition is based on the systolic pressure independent of the diastolic reading.)

Many physicians do not consider that a patient has high blood pressure until the diastolic reading is 95 or higher.

The diastolic reading (the number on the bottom) measures the pressure present within the arteries as your heart rests between beats.

No one is questioning the wisdom of reducing blood pressure when the diastolic reading is higher than 100.