My Blood Pressure - the bad news - the good news

[billd766]

18 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

A few basics. There are 2 parts to it: 1) Equipment and how to use it properly and 2) prepare the patient. Point 2 is often a problem, it matters a lot! too. That's why you ideally should rest a few minutes before you check your BP

 

Blood pressure is not static at all, it even has a daily pattern. This is why you should take your blood pressure at 2 different times (up to the doctor but generally morning before food and medication and in the evening).

 

Don't be surprised if the blood pressure goes up if you talk or move a bit while you take the test even if the arm is still, that's normal. The same if you are not resting your arm comfortably. And yes, it can even go up if you talk while you take the test.

 

There's a big! difference between if you have rested for a few minutes before you take it or not. Coffee matters... ???? You got to have consistency before you can trust the numbers. And the numbers vary anyway, my doctor tells me to take 3 tests and give him the average.

 

Lastly, it will go up if you are nervous or stressed. Angry at the Mrs. or your teenage daughter will totally ruin you BP values. 

 

As to the actual numbers: They vary with age. I'm not a doctor, you need to ask one but clearly, don't ignore high blood pressure! It's so unnecessary to end up with a stroke (that can make you a vegetable for the rest of your life...) when it can be avoided.  

5 days a week I cut the grass and scrub, then I clean and refuel my weed whacker and sharpen the blade which from start to finish is usually 1 hour 45 minutes I come indoors and take my blood pressure 5 times in a row and log the middle reading. I take a shower, eat my breakfast, then take another 5 readings using my Microlife BP tester, using the middle figure once again.

 

I am 77, have a BMI of 33.9 and have been on statins since 2006 when I had 2 stents put in.

 

This week from Sunday my average BP has been

 

Sun  125/71/81 

Mon 116/70/95

Tue  124/74/103

Wed 121/81/93

 

I find that when I use the hospital BP machine that you put your arm through, it always give a higher figure but if I use the older type the readings are much closer to my home BP tester.

 

[MikeyIdea]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

5 days a week I cut the grass and scrub, then I clean and refuel my weed whacker and sharpen the blade which from start to finish is usually 1 hour 45 minutes I come indoors and take my blood pressure 5 times in a row and log the middle reading. I take a shower, eat my breakfast, then take another 5 readings using my Microlife BP tester, using the middle figure once again.

 

I am 77, have a BMI of 33.9 and have been on statins since 2006 when I had 2 stents put in.

 

This week from Sunday my average BP has been

 

Sun  125/71/81 

Mon 116/70/95

Tue  124/74/103

Wed 121/81/93

 

I find that when I use the hospital BP machine that you put your arm through, it always give a higher figure but if I use the older type the readings are much closer to my home BP tester.

 

Very good values. I'm nearly 20 years younger than you and I wish my values were that good. You're active, moving around a lot. Exercise is by far the best BP medicine

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

24 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I come indoors and take my blood pressure 5 times in a row and log the middle reading.

The middle reading is always the third reading so why waste your time taking 4th and fifth reading? Just curious.

[Tanomazu]

You are still all virile people and not old at all. Don't worry about it.

[BigStar]

4 hours ago, WineOh said:

You might get hit by a bus tomorrow.

 

Just sayin.

What, me worry? I: Me genes
What, me worry? II: Me Fate
What, me worry? III: The French Salute

 

I'll just keep my BP and all my other markers normal, thank you. Just in case I don't get hit by a bus etc.

 

[WineOh]

19 minutes ago, BigStar said:

What, me worry? I: Me genes
What, me worry? II: Me Fate
What, me worry? III: The French Salute

 

I'll just keep my BP and all my other markers normal, thank you. Just in case I don't get hit by a bus etc.

 

Who asked you?

[ChrisKC]

Thank you to all of you and your contributions.

 

But if my post was simply about my blood pressure per se, it would not be very interesting or worth posting.

 

The thrust of my post is about the differences in readings arising from something that I did that made them so different. Nobody has addressed that or answered my question as to what I did.

 

I am aware of readings varying between measurements and about my age and weight and so on but in the context of my post, irrelevant. So let me explain why I posted this item at all.

 

My post included my numbers to show the great difference that took my position from normal into Stage 2 hypertension, The figures relating to that before I did something were in fact false negatives - a term being used currently regarding testing for infections re Covid-19

 

The issue that is worth mentioning therefore, is the one as to why!

 

All measurements for my blood pressure over the last ten days fall into two categories - one that showed all numbers to be in the range 144/92 to 149/96 (hypertension) and second, all those that were in the range 118/85 to 129/82 (in normal range)

 

100% of those in the hypertension range were in one situation and 100% of those in the normal range in the other.

 

In all cases both at the hospital and at home I was using proper equipment in relaxed and calm conditions. Nurses at the Hospital on two occasions did a professional job and at home, my wife who is an expert as an ex military nurse and administered the tests in a professional way.

 

So what did I do to make the difference in the wide variation of my readings that took less than 5 seconds?

 

I took off my smart watch

 

 

 

 

[BigStar]

23 minutes ago, WineOh said:

Who asked you?

Who asked you to ask who asked me?

[BigStar]

13 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

The issue that is worth mentioning therefore, is the one as to why!

We dunno. Check back in 2 weeks.

[4MyEgo]

32 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I took off my smart watch

R u suggesting that your smart watch interfered with the blood pressure machines ?

Edited July 21, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[Chris.B]

38 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

So what did I do to make the difference in the wide variation of my readings that took less than 5 seconds?

 

I took off my smart watch

 

 

 

 

Why? Was it to tight around your wrist? ????????

 

 

[BE88]

I was in the hospital for a month for a checkup and I measured my blood pressure 158 never been so high normally 110 then I saw that a person had gone to the same blood pressure machine five times and last time he left satisfied so I thought to go back to take my blood pressure result 132 I have not continued another three times because I was satisfied that the doctor would not prescribe me any medicines for high blood pressure.

Edited July 21, 2021 by BE88

[ChrisKC]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

R u suggesting that your smart watch interfered with the blood pressure machines ?

Yes, the evidence seems quite clear to me. Perhaps you can argue a case against?  100% from 10 measurements hypertension, 100% from 6 measurements both at home and at the hospital within normal range by a factor of 20/10 in blood pressure points.  My smart watch is magnetic -maybe that's it!

[Chris.B]

6 hours ago, billd766 said:

5 days a week I cut the grass and scrub, then I clean and refuel my weed whacker and sharpen the blade which from start to finish is usually 1 hour 45 minutes I come indoors and take my blood pressure 5 times in a row and log the middle reading. I take a shower, eat my breakfast, then take another 5 readings using my Microlife BP tester, using the middle figure once again.

 

I am 77, have a BMI of 33.9 and have been on statins since 2006 when I had 2 stents put in.

 

This week from Sunday my average BP has been

 

Sun  125/71/81 

Mon 116/70/95

Tue  124/74/103

Wed 121/81/93

 

I find that when I use the hospital BP machine that you put your arm through, it always give a higher figure but if I use the older type the readings are much closer to my home BP tester.

 

Your paranoid Bill. ????

 

[wensiensheng]

3 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

Thank you to all of you and your contributions.

 

But if my post was simply about my blood pressure per se, it would not be very interesting or worth posting.

 

The thrust of my post is about the differences in readings arising from something that I did that made them so different. Nobody has addressed that or answered my question as to what I did.

 

I am aware of readings varying between measurements and about my age and weight and so on but in the context of my post, irrelevant. So let me explain why I posted this item at all.

 

My post included my numbers to show the great difference that took my position from normal into Stage 2 hypertension, The figures relating to that before I did something were in fact false negatives - a term being used currently regarding testing for infections re Covid-19

 

The issue that is worth mentioning therefore, is the one as to why!

 

All measurements for my blood pressure over the last ten days fall into two categories - one that showed all numbers to be in the range 144/92 to 149/96 (hypertension) and second, all those that were in the range 118/85 to 129/82 (in normal range)

 

100% of those in the hypertension range were in one situation and 100% of those in the normal range in the other.

 

In all cases both at the hospital and at home I was using proper equipment in relaxed and calm conditions. Nurses at the Hospital on two occasions did a professional job and at home, my wife who is an expert as an ex military nurse and administered the tests in a professional way.

 

So what did I do to make the difference in the wide variation of my readings that took less than 5 seconds?

 

I took off my smart watch

 

 

 

 

Interesting. I wouldn’t have guessed it might have caused a problem.

 

to be a little contrary, I had my first Covid jab on 16th July and as part of the pre jab procedure, they took my BP. They didn’t tell me what my BP was, but I asked if it was normal and the nurse replied “ very  normal”. That’s what I expected to hear. I’m 64, but keep fit by running, cycling, swimming, yoga, walking. At least a couple of those everyday. I weigh 60kg.

 

thing is ChrisKc, I wear an Apple Watch. But  I’m trying to recall which arm the nurse used and I seem to think it was the arm that my watch wasn’t on. Did you only use the arm that the watch was on?

[DavisH]

9 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Mine is the opposite....  BP is always lower after I have taken my morning walk.

Exercise will dialate blood vessels (to allow blood to circulate faster). This is what I find, when I measure BP after I use my elliptical machine. Eating a big mean and then taking BP will also reduce BP as blood concentrates areound the stomach, drawing in away from more peripheral blood vessels. 

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, BE88 said:

I was in the hospital for a month for a checkup and I measured my blood pressure 158 never been so high normally 110 then I saw that a person had gone to the same blood pressure machine five times and last time he left satisfied so I thought to go back to take my blood pressure result 132 I have not continued another three times because I was satisfied that the doctor would not prescribe me any medicines for high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure may be higher at the doctors/dentist than at home. Mine certainly is. At home mine is around 135/80-85. But at the doctors it can be 160/100 ...etc. My doc always wants to see my readings taken daily over several weeks to see what the trend is (they aren't so much interested in one-off measurements taken in a hospital - die to whitecoat syndrom in a lot of people). 

[ChrisKC]

7 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Interesting. I wouldn’t have guessed it might have caused a problem.

 

to be a little contrary, I had my first Covid jab on 16th July and as part of the pre jab procedure, they took my BP. They didn’t tell me what my BP was, but I asked if it was normal and the nurse replied “ very  normal”. That’s what I expected to hear. I’m 64, but keep fit by running, cycling, swimming, yoga, walking. At least a couple of those everyday. I weigh 60kg.

 

thing is ChrisKc, I wear an Apple Watch. But  I’m trying to recall which arm the nurse used and I seem to think it was the arm that my watch wasn’t on. Did you only use the arm that the watch was on?

I used both arms almost every time. My smartwatch is a Huawei GT pro that has a magnet and a like device that charges it up. Don't know about the Apple one.

For those who doubt me, I point them only to the evidence I have that has left me believing what I say.

 

Like you, I am a consistent biker and have a healthy diet for the last 40 years. I am 76, 59kgs and 175cm tall for those who are interested. It is because I have never tested positive for hypertension and for that I needed an explanation for it suddenly jumping so much higher with no changes in my lifestyle. Any jump needed to be addressed as it might have meant something inclined towards an impending serious health event.

 

I simply hit on the idea of my watch being a possible cause and was ready to accept that it wasn't, but all my measurements without the watch produced results more in line with what I expect from no underlying health problems ever in my life! The gap at the hospital from wearing it and not was only 15 minutes!

 

Thank you for your input.

 

 

 

 

 

[mommysboy]

Blood pressure machines can be very unreliable in Thai hospitals imo.

 

Anxiety (white coat syndrome) is a major factor often to be considered too.

 

The first step would be walk 30 minutes daily for a couple of weeks, rather than worrying about it.

[Sheryl]

A number of inaccurate posts in this thread.

A systolic reading above 140 and/or a diastolic reading above 90 - if that is your true average BP and not a transitory occurrence or due to faulty equipment (both common with in-hospital readings) - is hypertension and is a problem. At any age. Hyoertension is indeed mroe common as oen ages but that does nto mean it is benign in older people, it definitely is not.

 

In OP's case it appears his true BP is below this andi n normal range.

 

[BE88]

11 hours ago, DavisH said:

Your blood pressure may be higher at the doctors/dentist than at home. Mine certainly is. At home mine is around 135/80-85. But at the doctors it can be 160/100 ...etc. My doc always wants to see my readings taken daily over several weeks to see what the trend is (they aren't so much interested in one-off measurements taken in a hospital - die to whitecoat syndrom in a lot of people). 

Measured this morning 100 68 66, rather I suffer from low blood pressure today, the answer may be, the first is that the pressure measuring machines are out of order and nobody bothered to verify, the second hypothesis is the tension of finding an incompetent doctor who It tells you everything about nothing and which you cannot trust as the result of my last visit which prescribed me a medicine that I would have run the risk of a propensity to suicide in contraindications of the medicine obtained but which had assured me no contraindications .......... or or a combination of the two.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

11 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

/Yes, the evidence seems quite clear to me. Perhaps you can argue a case against?  100% from 10 measurements hypertension, 100% from 6 measurements both at home and at the hospital within normal range by a factor of 20/10 in blood pressure points.  My smart watch is magnetic -maybe that's it!

I just read that Smartwatches can interfere with pacemakers so anything is possible, but couldn't find anything on blood pressure monitors.

 

The above said I did 3 blood pressure checks this morning with my blood pressure monitor with and without my smartwatch on my wrist and here are the results.

 

Without Smartwatch       With Smartwatch on wrist

 

            107/60/68                                         105/63/72

            109/59/71                                           95/56/68

            107/57/69                                          112/63/71   

 

From the above with and without my Smartwatch on my wrist, I would say that the readings are within the normal range, i.e. not much difference in the readings.

 

Perhaps some other things to consider that may have caused your blood pressure to rise and as your probably aware, the internet is full of the below and more.

 

Surprising Things That Raise Your Blood Pressure

• The Bigger Picture. You've probably heard to watch the amount of salt you eat, especially if you're concerned about your blood pressure. ...
• Added Sugar. ...
• Loneliness. ...
• Sleep Apnea. ...
• Not Enough Potassium. ...
• Pain. ...
• Herbal Supplements. ...
• Thyroid Problems.

 

 

                                                                               

 

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[BE88]

16 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I just read that Smartwatches can interfere with pacemakers so anything is possible, but couldn't find anything on blood pressure monitors.

 

The above said I did 3 blood pressure checks this morning with my blood pressure monitor with and without my smartwatch on my wrist and here are the results.

 

Without Smartwatch       With Smartwatch on wrist

 

            107/60/68                                         105/63/72

            109/59/71                                           95/56/68

            107/57/69                                          112/63/71   

 

From the above with and without my Smartwatch on my wrist, I would say that the readings are within the normal range, i.e. not much difference in the readings.

 

Perhaps some other things to consider that may have caused your blood pressure to rise and as your probably aware, the internet is full of the below and more.

 

Surprising Things That Raise Your Blood Pressure

• The Bigger Picture. You've probably heard to watch the amount of salt you eat, especially if you're concerned about your blood pressure. ...
• Added Sugar. ...
• Loneliness. ...
• Sleep Apnea. ...
• Not Enough Potassium. ...
• Pain. ...
• Herbal Supplements. ...
• Thyroid Problems.

 

 

                                                                               

 

 

and now afraid of getting the covid when you enter the hospital

 

 

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, BE88 said:

and now afraid of getting the covid when you enter the hospital

Don't live in fear, social distance, wear your mask, and keep hands clean, although I must admit, I am a private hospital kind of guy, i.e. I don't want to wait for hours, don't want to be in crowded places, so it's worth the funds to me personally, maybe an option for you until better times ?

[BE88]

6 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Don't live in fear, social distance, wear your mask, and keep hands clean, although I must admit, I am a private hospital kind of guy, i.e. I don't want to wait for hours, don't want to be in crowded places, so it's worth the funds to me personally, maybe an option for you until better times ?

Unfortunately I am too far from private hospitals, the only alternative is the public hospital or take a long journey but for now luckily I have no big problems when I have serious problems the private hospital will be my option or return to my country.

 

[Henryford]

They are obsessed with BP here. I went to a clinic the other week for a sore eye and they wouldn't see me until my BP dropped.

[4MyEgo]

14 minutes ago, BE88 said:

Unfortunately I am too far from private hospitals, the only alternative is the public hospital or take a long journey but for now luckily I have no big problems when I have serious problems the private hospital will be my option or return to my country.

 

I live an hour from private hospitals, so rather than wait in the local public hospital for hours to see a doctor who is more interested in texting than my problem, I will drive to the private, in and out within 15-30 minutes, coffee, biscuits, an abundance of young pretty smiling nurses and then I will do some shopping at Makro after lunch at the local shopping centre so as to make a day of it, beats waiting in a pubic hospital, albeit my wallet will be a lot lighter, but that is the price we pay for a better hotel so to speak.

[bbko]

While I don't have a smart watch, aren't they able to do blood pressure readings also (along with reading your oxygen level)?  Why not compare the watch reading with the old fashion BP cuff?

[ChrisKC]

54 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I just read that Smartwatches can interfere with pacemakers so anything is possible, but couldn't find anything on blood pressure monitors.

 

The above said I did 3 blood pressure checks this morning with my blood pressure monitor with and without my smartwatch on my wrist and here are the results.

 

Without Smartwatch       With Smartwatch on wrist

 

            107/60/68                                         105/63/72

            109/59/71                                           95/56/68

            107/57/69                                          112/63/71   

 

From the above with and without my Smartwatch on my wrist, I would say that the readings are within the normal range, i.e. not much difference in the readings.

 

Perhaps some other things to consider that may have caused your blood pressure to rise and as your probably aware, the internet is full of the below and more.

 

Surprising Things That Raise Your Blood Pressure

• The Bigger Picture. You've probably heard to watch the amount of salt you eat, especially if you're concerned about your blood pressure. ...
• Added Sugar. ...
• Loneliness. ...
• Sleep Apnea. ...
• Not Enough Potassium. ...
• Pain. ...
• Herbal Supplements. ...
• Thyroid Problems.

 

 

                                                                               

 

 

Thank you for that interesting information. I stated in my first post I have NO problems of any kind including all those you mentioned so they are not part of the issue, also no lifestyle changes. Again I say, that my post was not necessary as the list of problems you state are quite well known and certainly they are to me!

 

Regarding smart watches, I only know what happened with mine and whilst I haven't done exhaustive tests one with and one without, I can only say that my conclusions that show 100% results would be reached by most people. Does your watch have external magnetism that facilitates charging? Mine does! Whether that is a crucial factor, I do not know. I don't pretend to understand the mechanics of this at all!

 

A reminder, at the hospital, my first reading showed 146/94 and very similar to the previous twice, ten days before. Without my watch, only 15 minutes later, 124/82. Not even close, is it? The following morning (yesterday) back at home, without my watch 118/84, 121/83 and 129/81,  after previously recording 11 times with my watch all at 146/96 or thereabouts,

 

So here is a question:

 

Do I have hypertension or not?

[4MyEgo]

57 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Thank you for that interesting information. I stated in my first post I have NO problems of any kind including all those you mentioned so they are not part of the issue, also no lifestyle changes. Again I say, that my post was not necessary as the list of problems you state are quite well known and certainly they are to me!

 

Regarding smart watches, I only know what happened with mine and whilst I haven't done exhaustive tests one with and one without, I can only say that my conclusions that show 100% results would be reached by most people. Does your watch have external magnetism that facilitates charging? Mine does! Whether that is a crucial factor, I do not know. I don't pretend to understand the mechanics of this at all!

 

A reminder, at the hospital, my first reading showed 146/94 and very similar to the previous twice, ten days before. Without my watch, only 15 minutes later, 124/82. Not even close, is it? The following morning (yesterday) back at home, without my watch 118/84, 121/83 and 129/81,  after previously recording 11 times with my watch all at 146/96 or thereabouts,

 

So here is a question:

 

Do I have hypertension or not?

I believe it's your watch, but then again, I'm no expert, but sounds logical and or the hospitals blood pressure monitors are out of whack ?