Blood Pressure

[rott]

My blood pressure is 144/81, and my wife is just telling me this is very serious. Do I need to see a doctor ASAP?

[NE1]

It is not very serious , and other factors could have made it rise , activity before you took the BP , hot drink before taking BP.

If you take it again after an hour and it is still the same go see a doctor.

Edited March 13, 2015 by NE1

[Sheryl]

That is above the desirable range but hardly an emergency. Also, an isolated BP reading is not so important. Monitor it daily for a while, keeping a record, and if it is consistently in that range then yes, see a doctor.

[rott]

Many thanks Sheryl and NE1. An excellent person in many respects, she sometimes gets her facts wrong.

[NickJ]

Also...if your Bp was taken on an automatic machine it could be off by quite a bit. Ask to have it done the old way with a stethoscope.

[mommysboy]

BP readings are not diagnostic or specific and can just as easily be reflecting your body state at that time. Mine varies from 110/75 to 160/85. I don't think it is a good idea to take your own readings unless under medical guidance.

[BKKdreaming]

Mine went down from 155 to 132 in 15 minutes when I asked to have it checked again ,

I had walked a long way to the office and was thinking too much !

once I was back to normal "thinking" and cooled down it went down......132 is still not low but also not that high

[phutoie2]

I would dream of BP like that, two weeks back at Sara Buri hospital mine was recorded on the machine at 198/119. Told to sit down for 30 mins and then had a few more checks done. Sent for for EKG and later on an echo cardio test. Doc said heart far to big. Now on 300mg aspirin a day and some calcium channel blockers. Oh yep, red card on the alcohol too.

I always told Mrs PT that I had a big heart. Soldier on.

[Aussieroaming]

Mine was 178/120 a couple of years ago..now it is about 110/70 after I re-evaluated my unhealthy lifestyle and lost 20 kg and now drink sparingly once a week. Your blood pressure is a by product of your lifestyle.

[Aussieroaming]

Sorry OP, just to clarify I didn't mean to infer your lifestyle in particular, I meant all of us in general.

[mommysboy]

Mine was 178/120 a couple of years ago..now it is about 110/70 after I re-evaluated my unhealthy lifestyle and lost 20 kg and now drink sparingly once a week. Your blood pressure is a by product of your lifestyle.

Partly true.

[phutoie2]

Mine was 178/120 a couple of years ago..now it is about 110/70 after I re-evaluated my unhealthy lifestyle and lost 20 kg and now drink sparingly once a week. Your blood pressure is a by product of your lifestyle.

Partly true.

Or you could be just a product of your parents.

That's a fall back line from the medical mob when they fail to diagnose what is actually wrong with you.

[arjunadawn]

The first number is the pressure of your heart during its contraction. The second, more important number, IMO, is the pressure of the heart during relaxation. This dynamic takes place over and over with every heart beat. There are many things that can influence the first number: Coffee, running, sweating, a doctor white coat, the wife coming home, your husband's day off, fears, etc. As said, any high number should be taken again later, and ideally both arms. If you have concern you should twice a day, for some days, take morning evening BP standing up, 5 min later, sitting down, 5 min later lying down. Gather these numbers and if remarkable difference or your concern persists present this to a doc so he has something to work with. Good luck

[Cpkt8]

If in case of sudden surge in BP readings (for example normal 125/67, sudden surge to 178/74), what should I do in case of such emergency? How to bring it down the fastest way?

If need to go Hospital in Bangkok, which one is the most reliable one for foreigners? I stay in Silom.

Thank you.

[h90]

first of all these automatic machines tend to read wrong. Having the arm in the right position and frequently check against other devices.

Second weight, weight and exercise brings the values down, not immediately but over time.

[redandyellow]

I was the same as you 3 years ago - and now I'm around 115 over 70. You can do the same.

I quit drinking, exercise 6 times a week, hard, and changed my diet. I'm only 5 foot 8, and went from 192 to 170 pounds.

Now that I've got the blood pressure down, I have a little more work on cholesterol and blood sugar.

All the best with your program, and remember - slow and steady wins the race.

One more thing - avoid stress..if that means cutting a few toxic people out of your life for example - well so be it.

[Cpkt8]

first of all these automatic machines tend to read wrong. Having the arm in the right position and frequently check against other devices.

Second weight, weight and exercise brings the values down, not immediately but over time.

Initially that what our GP thought so, so we brought our automated BP device to the GP to match the readings. Similar readings. So it's kinda accurate.

[Cpkt8]

I was the same as you 3 years ago - and now I'm around 115 over 70. You can do the same.

I quit drinking, exercise 6 times a week, hard, and changed my diet. I'm only 5 foot 8, and went from 192 to 170 pounds.

Now that I've got the blood pressure down, I have a little more work on cholesterol and blood sugar.

All the best with your program, and remember - slow and steady wins the race.

One more thing - avoid stress..if that means cutting a few toxic people out of your life for example - well so be it.

No drinking/ smoking. Can't exercise much because of back problem. Cholesterol ok, sometimes slightly high only. Blood sugar ok.

Stress, yes a lot! Can't cut off the toxic people out of my life because they are family members, unfortunately:(

Need to know what to do in case of emergency in Bangkok.

[Sheryl]

As you live on Silom, in case of emergency I would go to the ER of either Bangkok Christian Hosp (Silom near Saladaeng) or Saint Louis (Sathorn).

Note however that BP is never stagnant and brief "surges" to higher levels are to be expected. Will happen whenever you sneeze, cough, strain, are upset etc etc. So no need to run to the ER just because of an isolated high reading unless accompanied by neurological symptoms - -especially if it is just the systolic (top number) that is elevated. Instead, lie down and relax; concentrate on your breathing, feeling the breath go in and out or if that is too hard them noticing how your abdomen rises and falls with each breath. The recheck once you are feeling calm.

[Cpkt8]

As you live on Silom, in case of emergency I would go to the ER of either Bangkok Christian Hosp (Silom near Saladaeng) or Saint Louis (Sathorn).

Note however that BP is never stagnant and brief "surges" to higher levels are to be expected. Will happen whenever you sneeze, cough, strain, are upset etc etc. So no need to run to the ER just because of an isolated high reading unless accompanied by neurological symptoms - -especially if it is just the systolic (top number) that is elevated. Instead, lie down and relax; concentrate on your breathing, feeling the breath go in and out or if that is too hard them noticing how your abdomen rises and falls with each breath. The recheck once you are feeling calm.

Thank you Sheryl for your info, it is very useful for me and those reading this.

Just last week, my BP surged despite I was sitting down relaxing. When it went 148/68-175/74-195/78 I started to panic. Then it went 212/80. I went to A/E (Singapore). Doctor just gave a medicine to put under the tongue, sit down and observe till BP was 148/68 and sent me home. Went to GP next day and he changed my BP medicine to higher dosage.

[h90]

As you live on Silom, in case of emergency I would go to the ER of either Bangkok Christian Hosp (Silom near Saladaeng) or Saint Louis (Sathorn).

Note however that BP is never stagnant and brief "surges" to higher levels are to be expected. Will happen whenever you sneeze, cough, strain, are upset etc etc. So no need to run to the ER just because of an isolated high reading unless accompanied by neurological symptoms - -especially if it is just the systolic (top number) that is elevated. Instead, lie down and relax; concentrate on your breathing, feeling the breath go in and out or if that is too hard them noticing how your abdomen rises and falls with each breath. The recheck once you are feeling calm.

Thank you Sheryl for your info, it is very useful for me and those reading this.

Just last week, my BP surged despite I was sitting down relaxing. When it went 148/68-175/74-195/78 I started to panic. Then it went 212/80. I went to A/E (Singapore). Doctor just gave a medicine to put under the tongue, sit down and observe till BP was 148/68 and sent me home. Went to GP next day and he changed my BP medicine to higher dosage.

First value high, while the second one is nice. That is often with people who are fit, but nervoes.