Query hypertension
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have been monitoring my bp and I suspect I might have high blood pressure.I have been monitoring same for three yrs and cardiologist and gp thought they were ok. Echo three years ago reported my heart is in good condition. Saw cardio as had an abnormal eeg but everything ok. Recently bp is high with home monitor. I am keeping weekly chart to show to my go as I want to be fitted with ambulatory monitor before taking any medication. I do get anxious watching the monitor goes up when recording as I can tell if the readings are going to be high by how much the cuffs are inflated. I do not think I am getting a true reading e.g this am first reading 152/94 p80. second reading 1 min apart 137/88 p69 and thurd reading 138/87 p 68 averaging 140/90. My first readings are always high. I can also bring bp down by 10 mins brisk walking exercise but it last long. I am just interested to know how do you get diagnosed with high bp. I am 70 old woman who takes statins. The highest first readings just below 170 and diastolic be low 100 on odd occasion. Pl can anybody share their experience. Thanks
0 likes, 3 replies
jason1098 marie13049
Posted
Hello Marie,
The readings you have posted don't look overly high to me, although I am not a doctor.
When you take your BP readings are you doing it in the prescribed manner?
Sitting in a quiet room with your arm resting on a table, relaxing for ten minutes before you take the test?
Your BP will fluctuate through the day depending on a whole raft of variable factors so spikes and troughs should be disregarded, you want to be looking at the main trend . I tend to check mine a couple of times a day over a week or two and plot the results on a graph using Excel, but I spend a lot of my working life looking at graphs and trends and I'm a bit nerdy like that. It does make it easier to see the general trend though.
jx41870 marie13049
Posted
Hi Marie. A couple of thoughts. First, it is surprisingly difficult just to get some consistent and accurate readings to even talk about. And that doesn't even count your meter versus another meter versus the doctor's office, which can throw things around, too.
Second, sounds like you're doing a good job, but if those are your typical readings, you're a tad high but nothing much to worry about. Over age 50 or 60 or whatever many doctors are OK with readings as high as 140/90 or higher, before they recommend medication. Though most will let you try for lower numbers, if you express concern. Trying this or that BP med is generally a minor thing, after all. OTOH they don't all work like magic, either, so you might try one and find little change. And for numbers like yours it's probably not worth taking a bunch of meds just to try to push things down ten points or so.
So go ahead and discuss it with your doctors, watch your diet and exercise, treat yourself to a little extra dark chocolate, for the BP-reducing beta blockers of course (seriously!), and at least keep an eye on things going forward.
marie13049
Posted
Thanks to both for responding and your good advice. I am going to include more beetroot in my diet as it is supposed to be good and I like. them. Dark chocolate I did start to eat a couple of tablets a day but am also watching my blood sugar. I am not a diabetic. I have been eating home made sauerkraut it is very salty for past few months and noticed my bp has been the highest since. I have stopped and will see whether there is an improvement. It is possible it is a coincidence. I am going to insist to have ambulatory monitor fitted before accepting medication for accuray. E.G midafternoon first readins were 139/81 and second readings 120/81. Most probably the evening reading will be highI understand they do fluctuates but the readings are so inconsistent. I do exercise and do brisk walking twice a day?
Thanks again to both of you for your help and advice.