Blood pressure

[randymarsh]

Had my blood pressure taken at hospital this morning and it was high... 156/85.   After I saw the doctor I asked to have it taken again, no more than 10 minutes after the first time and it was 150/99.

 

That's the first time my diastolic has been so high and it made no sense to have gone up so much in 5 minutes when I'd been sitting in a chair the whole time.

 

Are these fluctuations normal?  It was done at Pattaya International Hospital so I'd think the equipment was reliable.

 

I'm only 31 so am worried my blood pressure is so high.  I also know I have high cholesterol from tests back home last year. It was 6.6 and the ratio was bad.

 

No doctors have ever recommended medication for either my cholesterol or blood pressure.  I don't know whether I should see a specialist for advice or just go with lifestyle changes.  I don't exercise but I eat quite well.  I do feel my cholesterol is naturally high as it was even high in my 20s when I was very active.

 

Any advice?  Plus thoughts of the fluctuation of two checks in very short space of time.

 

Thanks 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2017 by randymarsh

[Rob13]

Lay off salty food and get a hour of cardio exercise in every day. 

[sinbin]

I get this sort of thing. At home my BP is within normal ranges. As soon as I get into an hospital it goes up. I put it down to White coat syndrome.

 

Quote

 

White coat hypertension, more commonly known as white coat syndrome, is a phenomenon in which patients exhibit a blood pressure level above the normal range, in a clinical setting, though they don't exhibit it in other settings.^[1] It is believed that the phenomenon is due to anxiety that those afflicted experience during a clinic visit.^[2]

The patient's daytime ambulatory blood pressure is used as a reference as it takes into account ordinary levels of daily stress. Many problems have been incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of white coat hypertension.

The term "masked hypertension" can be used to describe the contrasting phenomenon, where a patient's blood pressure is above the normal range during daily living, although it isn't above the normal range when the patient is in a clinic setting.^[3]

 

 

[KittenKong]

56 minutes ago, randymarsh said:

Plus thoughts of the fluctuation of two checks in very short space of time.

 

Mine goes up and down like a yo-yo when they check it in a clinic, and it also varies significantly depending on which machine they use: at my dental clinic one of them systematically reads 10 higher than the other and they cant both be right. When I do it at home it's much more stable.

[randymarsh]

Just as long as the home one is accurate but who knows.

 

Going to buy one tomorrow.

[Moonlover]

3 minutes ago, randymarsh said:

Just as long as the home one is accurate but who knows.

 

Going to buy one tomorrow.

Home monitoring is highly recommended. Buy a quality product, not one of those cheap chinese made wrist units and follow the instructions.

 

At you age, unless you follow a pretty bad lifestyle, hypertension should not be a problem. however, the earlier you start to take an active interest in your health, the better it is for your long term prospects.

 

Good luck and good health.  Actually that's rubbish, because good health is NOT good luck, it's good lifestyle. 

 

Take care.

[Pib]

You may have "white coat hypertension."

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Medicaltests/Whitecoateffect

 

Best to get a good blood pressure monitor (they last a long time and are not expensive) and do some home monitoring to get a much better idea of your true blood pressure.

[DavisH]

I have the same issue. 160/90 at the docs office, but much lower at home. BP follows a pattern, being lowest when asleep and naturally increasing when you are awake. It will also be a bit lower when you are laying down. laying on my bed in the evening it will be roughly 120/70 or thereabouts. I think meditation, good diet and good cardio exercise can help. It's best to try to control BP oneself, rather than going onto medication. That's really a last resort. 

 

 I should add that BP that can hit high levels (i.e is unstable) is a risk factor for developing longer term high BP. So it's something that shouldn't be ignored.

Edited May 13, 2017 by DavisH

[randymarsh]

Whenever I've been tested at docs/hospital previously, it's usually been about 140/80 so today was a surprise as it was even higher.  Could be white coat but don't know. Will pick up a good monitor tomorrow and start checking over the next few weeks - hopefully without driving myself crazy / becoming obsessive.

 

I know it's getting worse as 2 or 3 years ago it was 120/60.  But smoking, eating and not moving has taken its toll quite rapidly it seems.  I was probably 8 kilos lighter back then.

 

Hopefully the regular monitoring will scare me into doing something about it.

[lopburi3]

By all means get an arm type monitor and use at home - you can take to doctors office to compare with there reading (probably will both be high there) and let the doctor review your home readings (which are a much better indicator).

[Pib]

I once had a guy who worked for me who had high blood pressure every time he went to the doctor.  The doctor fitted him with a wrist monitor which measured his blood pressure every 15 minutes or so over a 24 hour period.  Once the doctor evaluated the data over a 24 hour period it was determined his blood pressure was fine "except when visiting the doctor."  Subconsciously, his blood pressure spiked when visiting the doc...he basically had white coat hypertension.

 

Now although a wrist monitor was used in this case don't get one for your home monitoring as wrist monitors are less accurate than the monitor type that wraps around your upper arm.

[kkerry]

14 minutes ago, randymarsh said:

Whenever I've been tested at docs/hospital previously, it's usually been about 140/80 so today was a surprise as it was even higher.  Could be white coat but don't know. Will pick up a good monitor tomorrow and start checking over the next few weeks - hopefully without driving myself crazy / becoming obsessive.

 

I know it's getting worse as 2 or 3 years ago it was 120/60.  But smoking, eating and not moving has taken its toll quite rapidly it seems.  I was probably 8 kilos lighter back then.

 

Hopefully the regular monitoring will scare me into doing something about it.

 

Sounds like me. I never used to take any notice of my BP but I walked 10kms or more nearly every day. In Thailand much less active, put on weight and in six years went from 120/80 to a peak of 180/95. That was my wake-up call along with being pre-diabetic. Changed my diet, lost weight by cutting out most of the really bad things and started exercising more. Did a stress test recently and at rest 127/68, slightly higher than if I test at home but it's been in that range the last few years so not so bad.

[Farang hunter]

As long as the small number does not go up over like 120 you are fine with medication if needed.

Edited May 13, 2017 by Farang hunter

[mommysboy]

It's not necessarily high. If you were anxious or dehydrated then that can register.  I wouldn't embark on a killer exercise program, or look to eradicate salt just yet. 

 

[Rhys]

To our moderator,  the research is out there regarding the BP measurement increase as we age, and that is the adaptation... Thus 120/80 is ideal but if you-re over 60 and your BP measures 130/90  Male... you're in an age adjustment range?

 

[meatboy]

9 hours ago, Pib said:

You may have "white coat hypertension."

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Medicaltests/Whitecoateffect

 

Best to get a good blood pressure monitor (they last a long time and are not expensive) and do some home monitoring to get a much better idea of your true blood pressure.

the past couple of yrs.that i have visited hospital many times and my BP.has gone off the rails[i do have to take meds for life]

so i bought an omron 7130 plus you get a tempr.gauge.

its been steady ever since,not more than 145/76 pulse 51-56.

[Sheryl]

You cannot assume the equipment was properly calibrated - at BPH or any other hospital in Thailand.

 

And as others have said, it is quite common to have a temporary spike in BP when at the doctor's.

 

Agree you should get a home BP monitor and check it yourself, at rest, same time each day. Make sure it is  the kind that wraps around your upper arm, not a wrist monitor.

 

BP normally flunctiates widely throughout the day and moment to moment. Any stress will cause it to shoot up temporarily.

 

Regarding your lipids, can't say anything without seeing the numbers.

[randymarsh]

Monitor bought.  Did some readings this morning.  Better than at the docs but still not amazing.  Had been out all morning so not completely at rest.

 

136/80

130/82

127/85

122/91

 

Maybe a coincidence but the lower my systolic, the higher my diastolic, and also true yesterday at the docs.  To the point where I always have high blood pressure by one or the other or both.  Don't if there's any meaning in that.

 

Girlfriend showing off with her 100/70, while eating all the pla ra in the world.

Edited May 14, 2017 by randymarsh

[tonray]

1 hour ago, randymarsh said:

Monitor bought.  Did some readings this morning.  Better than at the docs but still not amazing.  Had been out all morning so not completely at rest.

 

136/80

130/82

127/85

122/91

 

Maybe a coincidence but the lower my systolic, the higher my diastolic, and also true yesterday at the docs.  To the point where I always have high blood pressure by one or the other or both.  Don't if there's any meaning in that.

 

Girlfriend showing off with her 100/70, while eating all the pla ra in the world.

It's the liver flukes keeping her BP low.. 

[billd766]

6 hours ago, meatboy said:

the past couple of yrs.that i have visited hospital many times and my BP.has gone off the rails[i do have to take meds for life]

so i bought an omron 7130 plus you get a tempr.gauge.

its been steady ever since,not more than 145/76 pulse 51-56.

 

I have a Microlife BP-3AP1-3E (my second one in 11 years) and I take my BP every morning and twice if I have been out working, cutting the grass etc, usually an hour or so after I finish work.

 

I generally take 5 readings in a row and use the middle one. The Microlife has a card giving the reading in bands> Mostly I am in the ranges of

 

Systolic       105 to 132

Diastolic      62 to 79 and one odd reading of 85

Pulse           80 to 113

[randymarsh]

24 minutes ago, tonray said:

It's the liver flukes keeping her BP low.. 

I've been hammering pla ra in isaan for 2 years, eating som tam 2 or 3 times a day plus everything else that uses pla ra... and only found out it kills your liver last week.  The foods so tasty I'm in two minds as to whether to stop completely or try and source stuff that's been prepared properly for 12 months or more... I probably need to make a thread on that too.  I did have an abdomen ultrasound last week for something else and liver was fine and I did read ultrasounds can detect the flukes.  So maybe I got lucky.  Or maybe I need more tests.

[billd766]

4 minutes ago, randymarsh said:

I've been hammering pla ra in isaan for 2 years, eating som tam 2 or 3 times a day plus everything else that uses pla ra... and only found out it kills your liver last week.  The foods so tasty I'm in two minds as to whether to stop completely or try and source stuff that's been prepared properly for 12 months or more... I probably need to make a thread on that too.  I did have an abdomen ultrasound last week for something else and liver was fine and I did read ultrasounds can detect the flukes.  So maybe I got lucky.  Or maybe I need more tests.

 

Stick with being lucky.

 

You do realise that pla ra is banned by the UN as a chemical or biological weapon.

[randymarsh]

41 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

Stick with being lucky.

 

You do realise that pla ra is banned by the UN as a chemical or biological weapon.

No I thought it was just tasty sauce.  Didn't really think to Google it as who would eat poison every day? Isaan it seems.  

[Pib]

pla ra is a pretty good paint stripper also.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, randymarsh said:

No I thought it was just tasty sauce.  Didn't really think to Google it as who would eat poison every day? Isaan it seems.  

 

I actually eat poison or a derivative of it every day.

 

I take 6mg of Orfarin every day as one of the 4 meds to control my blood pressure.

 

If I take the tablets and quickly was then down it is fine but if they stick on my tongue they taste bloody awful.

[GaryB1263]

FWIW. I bought an Omron meter in Thailand. The company is from Japan. It really matches up with the Drs. meter in the US and Thailand.

[Sheryl]

14 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

I actually eat poison or a derivative of it every day.

 

I take 6mg of Orfarin every day as one of the 4 meds to control my blood pressure.

 

If I take the tablets and quickly was then down it is fine but if they stick on my tongue they taste bloody awful.

 

Orfarin is not to control your BP. It is an anticoagulant. To prevent blood clots. Given to people with atrial fibrillation, people with stents etc.

 

No effect on BP.

[billd766]

33 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Orfarin is not to control your BP. It is an anticoagulant. To prevent blood clots. Given to people with atrial fibrillation, people with stents etc.

 

No effect on BP.

 

Hi Sheryl

 

Given to people with atrial fibrillation, people with stents etc.

 

That's me.

 

I also take a half tablet of Co-Diovan 80/12.5 mg

1 tablet of Dilatrend 25 mg

1 tablet of Bestatin 20 mg

 

I have been taking them since August 2006 when I had 2 stents put in at the Bangkok Heart Hospital.

 

I go for a 3 monthly FBS and INR check at the private hospital in Khampaeng Phet.

Edited May 15, 2017 by billd766
Added extra text

[Sheryl]

On 5/14/2017 at 11:57 AM, randymarsh said:

Monitor bought.  Did some readings this morning.  Better than at the docs but still not amazing.  Had been out all morning so not completely at rest.

 

136/80

130/82

127/85

122/91

 

Maybe a coincidence but the lower my systolic, the higher my diastolic, and also true yesterday at the docs.  To the point where I always have high blood pressure by one or the other or both.  Don't if there's any meaning in that.

 

Girlfriend showing off with her 100/70, while eating all the pla ra in the world.

 

These readings are within normal range but higher than ideal especially for a   31 year old.

 

Try more exercise/being more physically active along with losing weight. The combination of the two will almost certainly lower your BP and the amount of weight loss does not need to be much to make a difference.

 

Take just 1 BP reading a day, at rest, and do not obsess over isolated readings.

 

[i claudius]

Just read this thread,i have a blood pressure guage and use it a few times a week ,i take blood pressure meds, 101 over 67. About average for me . I thought it low but doc here and in UK says ok

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