Measuring Blood Pressure

[Mick F]

I've been on meds in the past. Variety of them, and they ALL made me ill. So now, they can get stuffed!

Just come back home from a spot of shopping, and picked my wrist thingy up off the coffee table and tried again ...........154 over 78.

This is the thing about BP. It varies all day, and is usually higher after being active, or under stress of course.

One more go ................ 156 over 81.

[peterb]

Just taken my BP, as the BP nurse practitioner has advised I try adding 1.25mg Ramipril to the 5mg Amlodipine I've been taking, as my average systolic reading has risen above the 140 level.
I took my BP to provide a base line before taking the first Ramipril. First I tried a wrist monitor similar to Mick F. best of 3 readings (as advised by BP nurse) - 130/77, then the upper-arm Omron, 141/70. If I relied on the wrist readings my BP would be regarded as pretty good for my age (75). However the Omron is exactly the same model as used by my BP nurse, so that's the one I'm using.

[al_yrpal]

Just stopped Ramipril after about 3 years and after a month the accompanying Ramipril cough has disappeared. My wife had to stop it too. Hope it doesnt affect you.

Al

[thirdcrank]

I've been on meds in the past. Variety of them, and they ALL made me ill. So now, they can get stuffed!

Just come back home from a spot of shopping, and picked my wrist thingy up off the coffee table and tried again ...........154 over 78.

This is the thing about BP. It varies all day, and is usually higher after being active, or under stress of course.

One more go ................ 156 over 81.

I'm not clear what you are saying here (in not very family-friendly lingo.)

If you are saying that you are stopping taking any medication at all, what's the point of measuring your BP?

[ANTONISH]

I have had my blood pressure taken a number of times - twice I have had a very accurate reading taken- I had to lay flat and relax for fifteen minutes - I think they used some sort of manometer for the reading but apparently it's a very accurate method.
I'm not sure how good the reading is under the usual surgery scenario.
I've got a home blood pressure tester (from ALDI or maybe tchibo) gives very variable results.

[geocycle]

The monitor at my local surgery is very strange. You put your arm in a long sleeve and it squeezes your forearm. Looked like a scene from James Herriot and was expecting to turn around to a bowl full of soapy water.

[Mick F]

LOL here with respect to all this.

Had a series of experiments.
174 over 127
115 over 47
139 over 78
131 over 78
142 over 75

All done in the last few minutes.
Need I go on?

IMHO, it's all a load of rubbish.
One of them was standing up, and one of them was when my arm was below my hips.
Another one was when my arm was held up at chest hight.
Pick which one is correct.

[Mick F]

I have had my blood pressure taken a number of times - twice I have had a very accurate reading taken- I had to lay flat and relax for fifteen minutes

Just coz you're lying down and knowing you are going to be tested, doesn't mean you can relax.
I know I can't.

[ossie]

Mine varies 130/140 over whatever as a maximum and has done for decades. Despite having a couple of major ops, pre ops, numerous surgical procedures (none related to BP) not once has any medical professional told me its high .

I'm 6'1" under 14 stone, my resting heart rate is 55 and I'm probably fitter than most sticking that thing around my arm. Yet the 'internet' tells me I'm verging on hypertension and should see a GP. I know for a fact if I cut down on beer and wine it will literally drop to 120 in a week or so. Everything in moderation I guess.

[Bonefishblues]

LOL here with respect to all this.

Had a series of experiments.
174 over 127
115 over 47
139 over 78
131 over 78
142 over 75

All done in the last few minutes.
Need I go on?

IMHO, it's all a load of rubbish.
One of them was standing up, and one of them was when my arm was below my hips.
Another one was when my arm was held up at chest hight.
Pick which one is correct.

Of course that will yield different results.

Do it correctly and you will have relevant measurements.

[rjb]

What's the readings taken after a couple of pints at the rising sun.

I'd be lying down and pretty relaxed

[DaveReading]

LOL here with respect to all this.

Had a series of experiments.
174 over 127
115 over 47
139 over 78
131 over 78
142 over 75

All done in the last few minutes.
Need I go on?

IMHO, it's all a load of rubbish.
One of them was standing up, and one of them was when my arm was below my hips.
Another one was when my arm was held up at chest hight.
Pick which one is correct.

If all else fails, read the instructions for your monitor, which should tell you what position to adopt.

[Chris Jeggo]

Blood pressure is measured in mm of mercury, and the aim is to measure the performance of the heart. The density of mercury is 13.5 while the density of blood is 1. If you measure BP 305mm (1 foot) vertically above your heart, the readings will be less by 305/13.5 = 23 mm of mercury.

Giraffes have amazingly large and powerful hearts because their necks are so long.

[Jdsk]

There is no such thing as a "correct" blood pressure if that means that there is a constant thing for each person that we are trying to discover if only we could..

Blood pressure varies with posture (as above), time of day, stress, activity before measurement and many other factors. And it varies between anatomical sites. Then for any particular observation there's random within-individual biological variation and random analytical variation.

But if "correct" means the value to be used for decisions about treatment (or research etc) we need standardisation of how it is measured. And that has to be deliverable in the real world conditions and is always a trade-off. The way that standardisation is currently done in clinical practice has been posted before but I'll post it again if requested. It includes preparation and position of the patient, when repetition is needed, and validation of the equipment.

Jonathan

[Mick F]

If all else fails, read the instructions for your monitor, which should tell you what position to adopt.

This is the very point.

We are all different shapes and sizes.
At our health centre, there is a room with a big BP device that your put your arm into.
They provide a chair for you to sit on when you do the DIY reading.
The trouble is, if you are a short person, your arm would be higher with respect to your heart, and if you were tall, it would be lower.

Also, there's no instruction about what to do with your other arm.
I know that if I drop the non-measured arm down, my measured BP lowers. If I raise it to above my head-height, my BP will increase.

Not long had a good breakfast, so BP will be a little high.

Right arm raised high as I can get it and BP device on left arm = 167 over 94
Right arm lowered as low as I can get it = 152 over 88

30secs between the readings.