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cryptosporidia by a modified Zichl-Neclsen tcchnklUC. Acza Vet Scaa t981 ; 22 : 594-596

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Systolic or Diastolic Blood Pressure ?

Both physiologic and epidemiologic observations confirm a closer link of cardiovascular morbidity to systolic rather than diastolic pressure. Of considerable importance is the observation that diastolic pressure is considerably more difficult to determine than systolic pressure by all indirect methods.

In addition, the systolic pressure is subject to less intrasubject variation than is diastolic pressure. In fact large variations in diastolic pressure readings can result solely from variation in the pressure of the stethoscope on the antecubital fossa in children.

In small infants standard auscultatory blood pressure determinations are extremely difficult. These blood pressure recording devices determine accurate systolic blood pressure. As a result of these observations, some have recommended omission of recording of diastolic pressure altogether. It would seem prudent for the pediatrician to pay close attention to the systolic pressure in young patients. Until further data are gathered, diagnosis of childhood hypertension should be based on the recording of both systolic and diastolic pressures, with the deficiencies of diastolic pressure kept firmly in mind.

Abstracted from Weismann DN, PediaD'ics 1988 : 82 : 112-114