Conflicting information

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Hi all, Ive been an high blood pressure suffer for 24 years currently taking amplodipine, atenalol and benzomethaflurazide (please excuse the spellings). Im also a type 2 diabetic. After a recent bad HbA1c result I decided I needed to do something about myself or face the concequences, so a radical diet change (carb watching) and an exercise plan was put in to action (jogging around 3.5Km 2 to 3 times a week) my blood sugars are now under control again thankfully. On a visit recently to my diabetic nurse she said my BP was slightly higher than she would like for someone with diabetes, I was suprised as my BP had been under good control for years so I started to check it morning and night to see what was going on, it was very slightly high so decided to surf the net for some ideal numbers of a good BP, at the same time I downloaded an app for my phone to keep track. When I was entering my daily figures I saw a reading popping up refered to as MAP, not knowing what this was I did a little reseach, now for the confusion, I rightly or wrongly  interpretated that the best or target BP was 120/80 then I found again rightly or wrongly that the ideal MAP should be 105 but on doing the calculations its impossible to get a MAP reading of 105 with a blood pressure of 120/80 that value calculates to 93. What have I misunderstood? My vital statistics are: Male, weight currently 11 stone, hight 5' 6" age 61

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    I think whenever you get very specific numbers rather than a range, take them with a large amount of salt.  There is no single best BP, it alters all the time depending on what we are doing and naturally changes with age. It used to be that people with diabetese should aim for a systolic of 130 or less and a diastolic of 80 or less. Recently this advice was reviewed and they have relaxed the systolic guidelines to 140 or less. Pushing either measure to low can cause problems of its own. The MAP is getting more popular as an additional measure and should fall between 70 and 105.
    • Posted

      If my BP was anywhere near 140 I would be seriously worried diabetic or not
  • Posted

    fuseman...I don't understand it either. I do know for sure, that the medical profession likes the bp readings in a diabetic to be lower than the average person. For sure, my doctor would NEVER complain about a bp reading of 120/80..which is some peoples' minds is perfect, that's not always the case. In an elderly person..say in their mid-late 60's it can be nearly impossible to have that sort of reading. Some are on 4 bp meds to control it, yet they still have a reading of 140/80. Most doctors here (in Canada) don't worry about that reading so much (in an elderly taking 4 bp meds) because to increase the medication only risks sides effects, thereby interfering with the patient's quality of life. 

    You said your bp was SLIGHTLY high. What do you mean by this? A good friend of mine is a diabetic, & her doctor likes her bp to be 115/75-80. 

    Good luck.

    • Posted

      My BP reading last night was 103/69 and this morning 121/77 both I think excellent , my point was I had seen on a forum that MAP should be 105 in a normal healthy person also that 120/80 was the ideal BP but if you do a calculation it's impossible to have a BP of 120/80 and a MAP of 105 so hence the confusion, I have no issues with my own BP other than I like to monitor regular to see if the strict control I follow for my diabetes is effecting it. The person who put up the post was more than likely wrong about the MAP I don't know

    • Posted

      I just read what someone wrote.that they'd be worried of a bp reading 140 diabetic or not. There are variations..it depends on the individual. While 140 isn't wonderful; it's not that bad either. If your doctor isn't concerned about it;  the patient shouldn't be. 

      Again, 120/80 seems to be the 'golden' number, but that's not always possible in everyone. Your readings of 103/69 & 121/77 in my mind are excellent. Forget about that 121 not being 120. Your doctor would scoff at the 1 point difference. 

      To me, you're doing all the right things...exercising..good nutrition, AND 

      your not only monitoring your bp, you're recording the readings as well. 

      There is one fellow who is posting things he finds regarding diastolic readings. He also makes reference to certain sections, but in my mind, although this is a forum in which we try to help each other, he's taking it too far. Most people don't understand the technicalities, nor do they want to spend time reading things they don't understand. Misinterpretation can easily creep in causing unnecessary anxiety & worry..not something good for bp.

      Again in my opinion, I think if someone were truly concerned about what's going on with their bp readings, the best person to consult is the doctor.

  • Posted

    I agree with Mike that if your worried about information the person to ask is your Dr. Remember the advice isnt fixed, they incorporate new reasearch as it becomes available and Drs follow the national guidelines, unfortunatly the US has several. However the latest is the Joint National Committee's report 8 (JNC 8), it says;

    In people aged =60 years, initiate treatment to lower BP at systolic (SBP) =150 mm Hg or diastolic (DBP) =90 mm Hg and treat to a goal SBP <150 mm Hg and goal DBP <90 mm Hg.

    Apparently the more aggressive target of 140 showed no real advantage.

    In all persons between 18 – 60 (and either those younger or older than 60 years with either diabetes or CKD), initiate treatment to lower SBP =140 or DBP =90 mm Hg and treat to a goal BP of <140/90 mm Hg.

  • Posted

    Don't be too much worried about MAP-Mean Artery Pressure

    After gogling here n there this is what its about

    Its clinical significance-considered to be the perfusion pressure (whatever it means) seen by organs in the body.

    It is believed that a MAP that is greater than 70 mmHg is enough to sustain the organs of the average person. MAP is normally between 65 and 110 mmHg.MAP may be used similarly to Systolic blood pressure in monitoring and treating for target blood pressure. Both have been shown advantageous targets for sepsis, trauma, stroke, intracranial bleed, and hypertensive emergencies.

    So there you are your 93 MAP (105 would be on the high side NOT ideal! !?) is within the normal range

  • Posted

    just to add

    the 'ideal' 120/80 will give a MAP of 93

    whilst a bp of say 135/90 will give a MAP of 105

    and a bp of 150/100 gives MAP of 117

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