High blood pressure

[Gareth]

Hi there,

I was at the docs last night, and I asked her to check my blood pressure, as the two times I have been to the docs about my anxiety before, they haven't checked it. When I told this to a few people in the know they were shocked and said blood pressure should be the first thing the doc should check. But basically all my GP said to me was; "you've got anxiety, I can offer you Citalopram tablets..." No physical exam, no blood tests, nothing.

So... I actually asked her this time if she could check my blood pressure (not having had it done for over two years) and she did it a couple of times and said it was "a little high" - certainly higher than it was 2 years ago which she was a "little concerned" by and told me to "get it checked every six months."

The reading was 145 over 90. Just wondering from all you experts out there how high that is? I'm not freaking out about it, just interested, as my blood pressure has always been good. Could it be a cause of the anxiety, or could it be a symptom?

Thanks,
Gareth

*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***

[Jules31]

Usual blood pressure is 120/70 Gareth, but that really is a ball park figure.

Anxiety can definitely make your blood pressure high. It does mine and I've had readings higher than yours, so don't worry.

You will be fine and as you get a grip on your anxiety, your blood pressure will even out.

I've been to the drs when I thought my blood pressure would be through the roof and it's been fine.

One day when I went to get it checked my dr told me what his reading had been a few days before. It was amazingly high but he'd had a full surgery and had been on call all night. So he was stressed!!! The next day he was fine. So see it happens to most of it

Take care



Jules

[Meg]

Gareth ,

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines differ slightly from the Hypertension Society guidelines but essentially someone who is at low risk of cardiovascular events should be monitored if above 140/90 in 3 subsequent readings.
The doctor can choose to treat or not but should be treated at 160/90.

The more crucial number is the bottom one - the diastolic which shows the pressure in the heart at rest and it is aimed for that to be under 90 most of the time.
If you were stressed then it will be transiently higher which is no problem but it would be nice to have another reading at a calmer time.

The blood pressure will not be the cause of your anxiety but your anxiety may be contributing to the blood pressure rise.

I think you have had suboptimal care from your GP and getting your blood pressure checked by the nurse on a regular basis until a trend and baseline has been established would be recommended as well as a blood screen that includes a thyroid profile.

I know that you don't get palpitations or racing heart so you probably don't need an ECG which is the other usual baseline test.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Gareth]

Thanks for the replies. I don't really trust my GP so thought your advice would be useful.

It seemed odd to me as the last time my blood pressure was checked I had a terrible diet full of salt and fat, and was drinking like a fish, and was a little overweight and took no exercise, and the reading was fine!

This time I am fit and healthy, hardly drink any booze, my diet is pretty good and I exercise 3 times a week, and I get a high reading!

It seems that the key is to get my blood pressure checked again (I think I will in a couple of months), and if it is still high then there might be a problem.

For now I'll not worry about it though (it will a test for me to see if I CAN not worry about it!)

Gareth

*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***

[Quirky]

Hi Gareth,
Your bp sounds ok, my doctor wouldn't worry about that reading. I've had 156 over 105 when I was very anxious once. My bp often goes high when the doctor reads it. She gave me a bp machine to take some readings at home over a few days and they were always good and normal. For me it was just the anxietycausing the high readings.
Try not to worry.
LJ

[claire1983phillips]

hi does any one know what your bp should be iv had reading from 150/86 and 135/88 is that high thanks