What causes abnormal spikes in diastolic blood pressure?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have been getting unusual readings while tracking my blood pressure with my Omron 10 series. I have been following the instructions carefully to ensure accuracy. Over the past several days, I have noticed extreme, isolated spikes in my diastolic pressure, which coincide with my machine detecting an irregular heartbeat. My diastolic pressure is usually within a very tight range, but I am now consistently seeing readings that jump dramatically, as high as 135 mmHg. When this happens, my systolic reading is not significantly affected. Afterward, I take a follow-up measurement a minute later, and while my diastolic reading is usually lower, it remains elevated compared to my normal range. The first few times this occurred, I ignored it, but it has been happening more frequently over the past several days. Otherwise, I do not have any noticeable symptoms. Should I be concerned?

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern and would like to explain that the abnormal spikes in your diastolic blood pressure could be due to erroneous readings from the automatic Omron BP monitor, especially in the context of episodic cardiac arrhythmias, such as extrasystolic arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation. Given this, it might be more reliable to use a manual sphygmomanometer and take several readings to calculate an average. I also recommend discussing this with your cardiologist to explore the possibility of monitoring your heart rhythm through an ambulatory ECG (Holter) test. Additionally, thyroid, renal, and adrenal function tests may be helpful to rule out any underlying organ dysfunction.

I hope this information is helpful.