Diastólískur

Diastólískur is the Icelandic word for diastolic. In medicine, diastole refers to the phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and the heart chambers fill with blood. Specifically, it is the period between contractions when the ventricles are filling. This relaxation allows the atria to push blood into the ventricles.

The term is most commonly encountered in the context of blood pressure measurement. Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers, systolic and diastolic. The systolic pressure is the higher number, representing the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, and the diastolic pressure is the lower number, representing the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. For example, a blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg means the systolic pressure is 120 and the diastolic pressure is 80.

A normal diastolic blood pressure is generally considered to be between 60 and 80 mmHg. If diastolic pressure is consistently elevated, it can be an indicator of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Conversely, very low diastolic pressure can also indicate health problems. Understanding both systolic and diastolic values is crucial for assessing cardiovascular health.

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