When did doc make you go on blood press meds?

[badatmath]

Dentist said my blood pressure was high but as they were using a wrist thing I didn't think much about it. But as it does run in the family I thought I'd get something to check and while high it doesn't seem all that bad (though hardly good). I have a doctors appointment in October I was just wondering what to expect. The standards seem a bit low to me but what do I know?

 

[TN Jim]

Hypertension treatment

Usual is start a diuretic and/or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Example: Losartan. I suggest you measure and record your B/P and heart rate at least daily until your appointment. This will show a trend, not "white-coat" anxiety. My PCP use diastolic above 85 or systolic above 140. This will very with PCP. In a month, five or so reading out of limits is nothing to worry about.

 

[badatmath]

Thanks, I guess it is kind of obvious that I don't really want medicine but of course I will do what I have to.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

I suffer from white coat syndrome. And the assistant in many doctors offices does not have you sit for 5 minutes before they take your BP. So to see for myself, I purchased an Omron BP monitor. For awhile, I would take a reading once or twice a day. Average of many readings was 120/80. When any doctor mentions "Oh, your BP is high." I tell him about my long term measurement process. End of subject.

 

[Jerry1]

Read up on the recommendations for your age. The standard is to let BP go a little higher as we age. I was running just under 150/80 and my doctor did not put me on medication.

This is an article from 2014 when the guidelines changed.

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditi...od-pressure-guidelines-raise-controversy.html

From the article:

The new guidelines change nothing if you're younger than 60. But if you're 60 or older, the target has moved up: Your goal is to keep your blood pressure at 150/90 or lower.

Again, talk to your Doctor but make sure to discuss adjusting for age/gender as part of the discussion.

 

[badatmath]

Thanks. I Have only taken it 2 days running but it was 136/93 abd 145/96. Bottom seemed awfully high but maybe I did it wrong.

 

[audreyh1]

My blood pressure dropped when I reduced my carbohydrate intake. I already avoided fast/junk food. It’s very effective.

 

[6miths]

I suffer from white coat syndrome. And the assistant in many doctors offices does not have you sit for 5 minutes before they take your BP. So to see for myself, I purchased an Omron BP monitor. For awhile, I would take a reading once or twice a day. Average of many readings was 120/80. When any doctor mentions "Oh, your BP is high." I tell him about my long term measurement process. End of subject.

This seems like a good approach. Be sure to get a quality automatic cuff and perhaps take it in to a pharmacy with a machine to check its accuracy. The pharmacy machines tend to be calibrated fairly frequently. Other option is to take it to MD office to check (hopefully MD office has a mercury sphygmomanometer). The issue taking BP in pharmacy is that it is quite noisy. I found it ridiculous that the new machines installed at the local pharmacy now 'talk' to you about BP issues all the way through the measurement. As a side note, I think the last place in the world that you would find me having a 'normal' BP would be at the dentist's office!!

 

[Jerry1]

Other option is to take it to MD office to check (hopefully MD office has a mercury sphygmomanometer).

The only thing I would trust is a person taking a manual BP and comparing that to the machine. I took my BP monitor to the Dr office and it was definitely reading high. So I mentally take some off from the reading I get from my machine. I also look at my machine as a trend reader rather than a single data point. If it started reading significantly higher than what it normally reads, I’d be concerned. I take my reading every morning and it’s in a pretty consistent narrow range.

 

[6miths]

The only thing I would trust is a person taking a manual BP and comparing that to the machine. I took my BP monitor to the Dr office and it was definitely reading high. So I mentally take some off from the reading I get from my machine. I also look at my machine as a trend reader rather than a single data point. If it started reading significantly higher than what it normally reads, I’d be concerned. I take my reading every morning and it’s in a pretty consistent narrow range.

Yes manual with a mercury sphygmomanometer is the gold standard in an outpatient setting. Issue is that many MD offices and clinics are now using automatic digital cuffs too. I don't know of a study but I wouldn't be surprised if they were less well calibrated than pharmacy machines for several reasons. Bottom line is that it's a good idea to check against a mercury sphygmomanometer at least once a year.

 

[Jerry1]

Yes manual with a mercury sphygmomanometer is the gold standard in an outpatient setting. Issue is that many MD offices and clinics are now using automatic digital cuffs too. I don't know of a study but I wouldn't be surprised if they were less well calibrated than pharmacy machines for several reasons. Bottom line is that it's a good idea to check against a mercury sphygmomanometer at least once a year.

I agree that most offices and hospital/outpatient settings use the machines, but my Dr still uses a manual cuff and I’d suspect that most offices would still have the ability to do a manual read. My mother in law was sent from her assisted living facility to the ER only to find out that her BP wasn’t sky high. ER sent her back to the facility and the facility did check her BP manually and found out their equipment was way off. Ugh.

Not sure why you think a pharmacy machine gets calibrated more often (regularly), but my belief is that most equipment does not get calibrated no matter where I’ve gone. My experience leads me to believe they’re all reading high. But, I’m just a sample of one, even with my current health issue and new found engagement with the healthcare industry. Double Ugh!

 

[badatmath]

I didn't even know pharmacies had blood pressure machines anymore. I knew it used to be a thing but as I'm not looking for one and seldom at the pharmacy I probably would not pay attention. I live in my own little world a bit too much!

 

[Bamaman]

Let up on the use of salt too.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Yes manual with a mercury sphygmomanometer is the gold standard in an outpatient setting. Issue is that many MD offices and clinics are now using automatic digital cuffs too. I don't know of a study but I wouldn't be surprised if they were less well calibrated than pharmacy machines for several reasons. Bottom line is that it's a good idea to check against a mercury sphygmomanometer at least once a year.

While this is not a bad idea, the manual sphygomanometers are only the gold standard because the medical field is slow to accept change and have defined BP based on that ancient technology. Digital devices are apparently MUCH more consistant. I learned this when training to be an emergency medical responder a few years ago. There have been studies but the problem is that blood pressure is defined by a measurement made the old way so it is impossible for a new technology to do better since any discrepancy means the new device is in error by definition.

My BP was a little high about 10 years ago (~130/90). It was checked before participating in a "New Year New You" program at my gym. About 12 weeks later after exercising a lot more and dropping 17 lbs without changing my diet I was back below 120/80.

I also went to the dentist a few weeks ago and it was measured high. I have gotten out of shape the last few years, pre-covid but covid made it much worse so I don't doubt the measurement. My diet is also not as good as it was previously. I was also getting a root planing so I was pretty worked up and nervous. Apparently dentists are concerned because if they give you anesthesia to numb you it raises BP and people can stroke out in the chair so they are playing CYA.

I'm not ignoring my situation nor am I panicking. I'll spend some time exercising and getting back in shape and self monitor. If I don't see improvement I will see a doctor.

I am certainly not suggesting what anyone else should do. High blood pressure is a serious condition and easily treatable. My decision on a course of action is based on my previous experience with what quickly lowered BP in ME and the fact that I know I am back in the out-of-shape situation I was previously.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

Make it simple for OP. Get you a $40 to $50 Omrom or Konquest (looks like a new brand they are pushing at Amazon). Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, wherever.

Take readings twice a day. Mine are real high in the morning, but ridiculously low in the evening. Some folks are low in morning. After you have about 20 readings, then you can determine whether you have a problem.

Salt, exercise, calibrating, higher end devices are absolutely correct, but I would have a whole bunch of readings, first.

 

[Ronstar]

^this. I take readings and give my doc a graph. He pays more attention to my hundreds of readings than his single reading.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

OP - When I was 30 years old. So, 38 years later ......

 

[JoeWras]

Dentist said my blood pressure was high but as they were using a wrist thing I didn't think much about it. But as it does run in the family I thought I'd get something to check and while high it doesn't seem all that bad (though hardly good). I have a doctors appointment in October I was just wondering what to expect. The standards seem a bit low to me but what do I know?

Dentists do not help the situation using these useless machines.

1) You are under stress going to the dentist
2) Wrist measurement machines are sketchy, at best
3) Your body is positioned wrong
4) The assistant is usually making you talk

Useless. They should be banned from doing it this way.

Absolutely go to your doctor to get a proper measurement. BP may be the most important factor for cardiac and arterial health.

 

[FindingForward]

Here's another tip I never see mentioned. If you or your spouse has a smaller or more petite frame than the average person, make sure the cuff your doctor's staff is using is not too big for you. The standard sized cuff is made for medium to larger people: it may yield inaccurate measurements if a person is petite.

If the pressure seems higher than normal and you don't normally have white coat issues, ask them to retake it with a smaller cuff, just as comparison. Most doctor's staffs won't think to do this unless you ask.

 

[aaronc879]

Your doctor can't make you go on blood pressure meds. They can suggest you go on meds and offer options. If your blood pressure is high during the visit then they should advise you to get a blood pressure monitor and use it daily to get a more accurate reading of your normal pressure. If it is normally over 140/85 and your doctor offers meds then you should take them. You may even want to take them if you average over 130/80 and your doctor offers but that is up to you.

 

[aaronc879]

Here's another tip I never see mentioned. If you or your spouse has a smaller or more petite frame than the average person, make sure the cuff your doctor's staff is using is not too big for you. The standard sized cuff is made for medium to larger people: it may yield inaccurate measurements if a person is petite.

If the pressure seems higher than normal and you don't normally have white coat issues, ask them to retake it with a smaller cuff, just as comparison. Most doctor's staffs won't think to do this unless you ask.

I have only ever seen two sizes, the blue and the larger red. What other size are you talking about? A kids size?

 

[Chuckanut]

My mother started treatment for HBP in her 60's and lived to her 90's. The treatments worked well, she never had a stroke or other BP related problems.

 

[Aerides]

I had a cardio check up prior to a knee surgery. I got a high BP reading in the first visit with this new doc and he put a diagnosis of HBP on my chart despite my protest that I've always been 110/70 ish prior, even two weeks before that at my PCP.

When I had to go back to the cardio 2 weeks later, I made sure to tell the nurse, no, I'm not doing the BP the second I get in the office, and not sitting on that bed thing with my legs dangling off the side. I'm going to sit quietly in this chair while you do other stuff...THEN you can do my BP. I still read on the high side (130/85). The doc was actually insulted that I suggested it was white coat, and not a pattern, given my own prior readings.

I got my own cuff, test once a month or so (i'm fine), and I never went back to that doctor.

If you're really concerned you might have high BP, get a cuff of your own and test weekly and track for a while, then take those results to your next PCP visit.

 

[pacergal]

The updated BP standard (well since about 2017) is now 130/80 (used to be 140/90). Controlling your BP at a lower level, earlier, significantly lowers your risk for heart attack or stroke later.

It is important to have the proper procedure! Many docs don't, as they don't take the time:
-Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
-rest for approx 5 minutes
-arm should be about heart height and resting, not holding onto something.
-correct size cuff used.

Early treatment is important, and often changing diet/exercise, even losing 10-15 pounds may improve your blood pressure enough to not need a prescription.
Get yourself a home BP kit and check it daily, so you have a good record to take with you.

Good Luck
Keeping your BP at or below 130/80 not only helps your heart, but also kidneys.

 

[badatmath]

Thanks everyone. I am not normally paranoid about HBP thought it does run in the family but my eating/exercise have declined substantially since 2020 so it seems kind of a wake up call. I don't exactly want to take meds just to meet some definition the drug industry made up but then of course I don't want to be foolish. More readings should tell me what I need to know.