Isolated systolic hypertension is common

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 68-year-old woman from Africa. My systolic blood pressure is constantly high, but never above 170 or so. With carvedilol/indapamide, it comes down to about 148-150. My diastolic blood pressure, even without medication, never goes above 70 and is usually in the 60s. I am intrigued by why this is so.

Apart from this, my general health is very good to excellent. I am 5-foot-1 and weigh 130 pounds. I do aerobic/strength/weight exercises for one hour three times a week. My HDL is about 60, my LDL is about 210, and my C-reactive protein is almost nil. My glucose level is usually 100 or below.
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