I don't know if it's just the holidays and looking for a job and worrying about mid terms or not but my bp is normally around 118/82 or right at 120/80. When i took it last night it was 138/100 at first i though maybe it was because she took it twice in the same arm with out waiting, but this morning i took it again myself and it's still at 138/100. I don't know if my bp cuff is messed up or if my bp is really that high. I noticed when i was pumping up the cuff it took for ever for the needle to start moving up and it was already extreemly tight on my arm so maybe it's the bladder in my cuff? any suggestions?
2007-11-27 04:42:47 · 8 answers · asked by farah0315 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
I can understand your feeling after thoroughly reading your question. Followings are my observations:
1) As you were under stress for a finding a job, a fair possibility of the reading.
2) Please don't take your BP too often, as there are many pros and cons, about the machine, technique of taking BP. By too tight cuffs patients feel uncomfortable, and annoyed resulting in false high reading, this further increases stress, and a retake can be higher.
3) I think it was the wrong technique that resulted in this BP shoot.
REMEMBER: Always have a reading taken by a doctor or a paramedic, and not in that pharmacy or shopping centre.
2007-11-27 06:32:06 · answer #1 · answered by Dr.Qutub 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A single off-beat blood pressure reading is not a concern. I would suggest getting it checked a couple more times before seeing a doctor about it. Most clinics and even fire depts will do a free blood pressure check.
Just about a week ago, I had a blood pressure check (I was diagnosed with bronchitis) and it was 168/138. Yeah, high, but the doctor wasn't too concerned because he suspected it had to do with my breathing problem since I also had a high pulse rate. Sure enough, less then a week later, I was back in and it was down to my normal 110/70.
A couple of things. Make sure you have the correct size cuff. If you have a thick arm, you may need a bigger cuff. Secondly, before using blood pressure meds, get a home monitor (sometimes clinics will lend you one) and check your blood pressure at home. A study done about 8-10 years ago found that many people suffer from white-coat hypertension. In other words, being in a medical environment alone raises their blood pressure due to anxiety.
2007-11-27 13:17:12 · answer #2 · answered by CarbonDated 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First thing I would do is get it rechecked using a different BP CUFF. Also, make sure you have the right size cuff for your arm (they have small medium and large cuffs) Also, check it in both arms. Most people have a different reading from side to side because of several factors.
Relax, and good luck
2007-11-27 12:51:58 · answer #3 · answered by randy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Likely to be simply stress but it could well be the cuff too - all bp recording devices need to be calibrated regularly and can drift by up to ten points or more if not regularly checked
First step - get it checked again on another sphyg before doint anything else about it
2007-11-27 16:51:33 · answer #4 · answered by Gordon C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi I know how you are feeling. I am 32 years old and I was just recently diagnosed with high BP, which was always normal before. I went to the GYN for my yearly exam and my BP was up to 173/103!! The dr retook it after letting me relax for awhile and it was 152/93 which is still high, seeing that I wasn't having a headache, chest pains she let me go home and told me to take my BP every other day and write them down. I went back to her a week later and it was still running high 140/90 so she put me on a low dose diuretic which heplped lower it. Keeping track of your blood preassure is the best way to tell if you have high BP. If it continues to be on the high side, I would schedule a dr. visit and share your concerns with your doctor, let him/her decide if it's high enough for medication.
2007-11-27 12:59:39 · answer #5 · answered by Momof tripletsplus2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take it using a different cuff. I suspect that's the reason it's reading high.
2007-11-27 12:52:09 · answer #6 · answered by hoppykit 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just got back from my Dr and mine was like that- and the Dr did not like it! Highly recommend seeing your Doctor soon!
2007-11-27 12:52:03 · answer #7 · answered by Seeno†es™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would imagine that it is just stress. Are you a good weight, with a good diet? If so, just leave it for a couple of weeks and then recheck.
2007-11-27 12:48:11 · answer #8 · answered by Emlou 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋