blood pressure

[harley]

I have often found that nurses in the Dr's office sometimes do not use good technique when checking BP and will allow a patients arm to be hang down instead of being supported out in front. I believe that can effect the readings. Also, when you are sitting there getting checked, keep both feet flat on the floor.

If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.

We spent 3 1/2 hours today in an urgent care clinic, due to DW having some issues. During the visit the nurse took her BP with her arm hanging down on her lap. It was 158/89. We both protested, because the highest either of us has ever seen her have was around 130/80, and that was when she was having an asthma attack. She's usually in the 1teens/60s or so. So the nurse took it again a couple minutes later, with her arm resting on a platform about even with her heart. That's the only thing that changed, and her new reading was 123/76.

So it appears it can make a fairly significant difference.

 

[Jerry1]

I see Omron mentioned in this thread. Is this the one most folks are using?

Omron Blood Pressure Monitor

I think my model is a bit different, but almost the same as the one in the link. Main thing is to take it with you to the dr’s office and make sure you get similar readings - sort of a calibration just to make sure. However, Omron gets good reviews and I like the arm cuff better than the wrist version.

 

[LOL!]

So it appears it can make a fairly significant difference.

Did the nurse do the measurement or did a machine (like an Omron) do the measurement? Was a cuff used? If so, was the cuff moved or the velcro tightened or loosened?

I agree that measurements can change. Get a measurement device at home and try all kinds of positions and cuff tightness.

 

[harley]

Did the nurse do the measurement or did a machine (like an Omron) do the measurement? Was a cuff used? If so, was the cuff moved or the velcro tightened or loosened?

I agree that measurements can change. Get a measurement device at home and try all kinds of positions and cuff tightness.

The machine did the measurement. Yes, she took the cuff off between tests. We have a meter at home that we use, which is why we knew her measurement was so far off. But I think you are making the point that technique can make a significant difference in readings. I would agree. It really only matters when you are in the doc's office, though. That's when you really would like an accurate reading, and I'm not sure how often you get it.

 

[eytonxav]

If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.

Actually I have seen a difference myself, YMMV.

And if you still do not believe it, see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2911816/

 

[LOL!]

^Thanks for the link to the article which makes the point that a 5 mm Hg difference is significant and a 10 mm Hg difference is more significant.

I won't disagree with that, but I don't think any scientist would claim that a measuring once will have a precision of plus-or-minus 5 mm or 10 mm.

The title of the article had "Accurate" in it. Only a vague reference to precision is made late in the article.

BTW, the Omron for home use does have instructions which gives the proper technique. I wonder if the folks with these home devices ever read the instructions.

Full disclosure: I used to work in a hospital and one of my tasks was to measure the blood pressure of every patient who had slept overnight in the hospital.

 

[audreyh1]

BTW, the Omron for home use does have instructions which gives the proper technique. I wonder if the folks with these home devices ever read the instructions.

I certainly did. My measurements became more consistent.

 

[Winemaker]

This morning I rolled my 60 yo butt out of bed at 6:45 am, drank a cup of coffee, and went to my Dr. at 7:30 am. Nurse took BP, was 160/90! Highest that it ever was. Now it's in my record, and new diagnosis, from pre hypertension to acute hypertension.

 

[eytonxav]

I certainly did. My measurements became more consistent.

+1 me too

 

[braumeister]

This morning I rolled my 60 yo butt out of bed at 6:45 am, drank a cup of coffee, and went to my Dr. at 7:30 am. Nurse took BP, was 160/90! Highest that it ever was. Now it's in my record, and new diagnosis, from pre hypertension to acute hypertension.

Just a thought for you. Every time I have commented on an unusually high BP reading taken by a nurse, the doctor has taken it again him or herself (after I had been sitting for several minutes). That reading (always in the normal range) was recorded as well, making it much more reasonable.

 

[Winemaker]

Just a thought for you. Every time I have commented on an unusually high BP reading taken by a nurse, the doctor has taken it again him or herself (after I had been sitting for several minutes). That reading (always in the normal range) was recorded as well, making it much more reasonable.

Thanks for info, but I will definitely skip the cup of high test joe next year.

 

[Carpediem]

Just curious - I've noticed a few people mention that their high HP reading was now part of their record. Why is a high reading being part of your record a concern?

 

[Aerides]

I'm gonna guess record concerns are because a high reading = HBP = Pre-existing condition, if that part of the ACA protection law ever gets removed.

 

[cbo111]

Just had my annual physical at age 60. BP was measured at 131/82 which is about my average for the past decade (I have an Omron machine and do home readings). Neither the nurse or doctor mentioned anything about it. But they did ask about my sexual activity, drug use, depression, STD screening, etc

 

[Amethyst]

Wow, we go in for physicals together (back-to-back appts) and compare notes afterward. Neither of us has ever been asked about sexual activity or STDs.

Just had my annual physical at age 60. BP was measured at 131/82 which is about my average for the past decade (I have an Omron machine and do home readings). Neither the nurse or doctor mentioned anything about it. But they did ask about my sexual activity, drug use, depression, STD screening, etc

 

[razztazz]

Wow, we go in for physicals together (back-to-back appts) and compare notes afterward. Neither of us has ever been asked about sexual activity or STDs.

Must be a new drug about to come out. X% of Baby Boomers could have an X% chance of a rare but potentially fatal or annoying sexually transmitted disease....

Fading old people afraid of death or just prone to thinking too much of themselves will conclude they have or could potentially have it.. thus feeling like or potentially feeling like sexy young people who could actually get a disease. Sex and fear. C'CHING!

 

[Winemaker]

Just had my annual physical at age 60. BP was measured at 131/82 which is about my average for the past decade (I have an Omron machine and do home readings). Neither the nurse or doctor mentioned anything about it. But they did ask about my sexual activity, drug use, depression, STD screening, etc

As well as whether there are firearms at home, or whether you feel threatened at all?

 

[cbo111]

As well as whether there are firearms at home, or whether you feel threatened at all?

Yes, I forgot that one. They asked if there were any domestic abuse issues in the home. I almost gave a smart-ass answer like "she ain't hit me in a long time", but wisely gave the appropriate answer.

 

[harley]

Yes, I forgot that one. They asked if there were any domestic abuse issues in the home. I almost gave a smart-ass answer like "she ain't hit me in a long time", but wisely gave the appropriate answer.

NOYB?

 

[Walt34]

Yes, I forgot that one. They asked if there were any domestic abuse issues in the home. I almost gave a smart-ass answer like "she ain't hit me in a long time", but wisely gave the appropriate answer.

A wise decision. DW's nephew or his wife did that (don't remember which one) gave an answer like that and the next time they were both there, the staff called the nephew aside for some pretext reason and another staffer quietly asked the wife "Is your husband still beating you?" So evidently someone wrote it down.

BTW, in many states medical staff are legally required to ask that question and if the answer is positive then refer the couple to counseling services.

 

[isisdave]

One thing to consider is how the measurement is made.

The standard is to sit at a table for 5 minutes before taking it. In the doctor's office, they march you from the waiting room maybe 75 steps to the scale, humiliate you there, and then sit you down and measure it. Duh!

I asked my doctor if there's a standard for how quickly an BP elevated from normal walking would return to baseline. He didn't know of a standard, or of a study of this. I asked Dr Google, and found exactly ONE study that indicated that about 85% of people would settle down to their baseline by 8 minutes after normal activity.

My own BP can be 115/72 after sitting down for 8 minutes, but after the Walk of Shame at the doctor's it's usually 138/80.

Try this at home with your meter and see what happens. Throw in a flight of stairs or two as well.

 

[Oz investor]

One thing to consider is how the measurement is made.

The standard is to sit at a table for 5 minutes before taking it. In the doctor's office, they march you from the waiting room maybe 75 steps to the scale, humiliate you there, and then sit you down and measure it. Duh!

I asked my doctor if there's a standard for how quickly an BP elevated from normal walking would return to baseline. He didn't know of a standard, or of a study of this. I asked Dr Google, and found exactly ONE study that indicated that about 85% of people would settle down to their baseline by 8 minutes after normal activity.

My own BP can be 115/72 after sitting down for 8 minutes, but after the Walk of Shame at the doctor's it's usually 138/80.

Try this at home with your meter and see what happens. Throw in a flight of stairs or two as well.

my body weight at peak ( 25 years old ) was 120 pounds at 45 years i took up body-building and briefly touched 154 pounds but lost the weight when i stopped , ( it just fell off )

now i could brag about the weight lost since i have been unwell but at 110 pounds at 60 any loss since will just make some weep ( probably nudging 90 pounds now )

but back to blood pressure ' fit was 180/140 ( at 120 bpm and that was body-building at that .. but the veins and definition was awesome ) ( i lost over 10 pounds in 3 hours during the competition )

now IF i did just 10 push-ups the BP dropped to 80/40 , but the heart rate went to 250 bpm ,
in the same period IF i went 4 days with almost no sleep ( working/training around the clock ) the DP was 120/70 at 72 bpm ( not bad for a 50 year old i reckon ) of course the first time they ever put me on an EKG ( in 2016 ) they realized there was a problem , 4 attempts later the technician described the rhythm as haphazard ( NOT the infamous Tombstone pattern ) and sent me back to the GP ' be the first one in the door !!! ' he said

 

[LOL!]

Try this at home with your meter and see what happens. Throw in a flight of stairs or two as well.

BP before going up and down stairs twice:

119/77

BP immediately after going up and down stairs twice:
151/77

BP 8 minutes after that:
119/76