Cycling UK Forum

I have a blood pressure monitor bought from Lidl. Excellent bit of kit and it even talks to you in a variety of languages.
I've used it for some time, and found out I'm usually a bit higher than "normal" but well within the spec for health. However, as I'm a little austisic, I need to keep checking and rechecking.

An average of half a dozen readings this evening from the left arm gives 117 over 78.
Same on the right arm gives 107 over 76.

Why does my right arm record lower BP than my left arm?
I've noticed this for a while now. Right arm is always "better" than left arm.

Mick F wrote:Why does my right arm record lower BP than my left arm?

Presumably 'cos it's farther way from the signal source...

It can't be a simple as that.

Surely, BP is the same all over the body not counting the gravitational aspects?

Cos its the right arm…

Al

The heart is a pump, the further away from the pump the lower the pressure.

Sounds more obsessive compulsive than "a little autistic" (whatever that is supposed to mean, my guess you aren't autistic or know little about it).

I know me enough, you obviously don't know me enough.

Where is one's heart?
Way on the left, or in the middle but left-ish?

I know there is no such thing as a little autistic but if you want to believe you are a little autistic go ahead. Google human anatomy or blood circulation system, oh and a little autistic. I'll just laugh :-p

So long as the "base line" readings are within an normal range, it is the changes that are the important thing

Decide on an arm and repeat the readings on that arm

Cunobelin wrote:So long as the "base line" readings are within an normal range, it is the changes that are the important thing

Decide on an arm and repeat the readings on that arm

Not quite. The medical people use left arm as it is the closest they can get to the heart, what the pressure is at the heart is important, too high or too low indicates a problem (this is as a baseline reading).

If you are just measuring how strenuous an activity is then yes only the difference is really needed so as long as you measure in the same place each time your data is accurate.

The plumbing for the right arm comes off the main supply (aorta) before the left.
The pressure recorded in the system at various points depends on the propagation of a pressure wave through a system of tubes where the compliance of the artery wall (generally) decreases with distance from the pump. The amplitude of the pressure wave (difference between systolic and diastolic pressure, high & low numbers) is if anything greater at the ankle than at the wrist.

AlanJ wrote:I know there is no such thing as a little autistic but if you want to believe you are a little autistic go ahead.

Have a go at this for instance:
http://aq.server8.org

Think of what Michael Winner used to say and it will help reduce your blood pressure.

531colin wrote:The plumbing for the right arm comes off the main supply (aorta) before the left.

So that makes the BP measurement more valid ............. or less valid?

I guess less valid, because the instructions always state the left arm.

Mick F wrote:

AlanJ wrote:I know there is no such thing as a little autistic but if you want to believe you are a little autistic go ahead.

Have a go at this for instance:
http://aq.server8.org

Yep I was right you know nothing about autism. All that test shows is whether you show traits that are associated with autism but not autistic only. It is a test used as a guide (along with one or two others) to see if a proper assessment is needed.

As someone who has taken that test plus others and has a formal diagnosis of aspergers I can tell you psychologists use it as an indicator test. Oh and there is no such thing as slightly autistic, it's a bit like saying a female can be slightly pregnant.

But as I've said if you want to believe you are slightly autistic, then go ahead.

Mick F wrote:
I guess less valid, because the instructions always state the left arm.

My GP always uses the right arm, mainly because of the position of the chair relative to his desk. I suspect consistency is the key! He never moves the chair[emoji3]

Cheers
Barry