Missy69
15-01-09, 11:39
Just thought i would pop this in for the people who worry about there blood pressure, as i do, drives me silly some times. This semmed to help me some and stop me from overreacting when mine is high.
Hope it works as ive copied and pasted, if not sorry ignore this post lol :blush:
Question
If blood presure is always high when tested and anxiety is a condition you have suffered from is there any other test to determinewhether blood pressure measurement is accurate? Also what are the
side effects of drug treatment of high blood presure?
Answer
Your blood pressure rises and falls naturally throughout the day, and
can be
affected by stress, anxiety, exertion, alcohol and food intake, amongst
other things. It is quite possible, as you imply in your question, that
your
anxiety is one of the underlying reasons for your high blood pressure. Doctors on the whole are aware of this and have even dubbed the condition "white coat syndrome" due to the anxiety provoking (and thus blood pressure raising) effect which the doctors themselves have on some people.
<br><BR>
High blood pressure is therefore never diagnosed on just one or even a
few
readings. To confer a diagnosis of high blood pressure, persistently
elevated readings has to be recorded at different times of the day, on
different days and in different circumstances. The blood pressure tends
to
be lower in the evening for example, than it is in the morning and
after
exercise. But you mention that your blood pressure is always high. Whatever the cause, it may need to be treated because <a href="../diseases/facts/hypertension.htm">high blood pressure</a> increases your risk of damage to the blood vessels, heart and kidneys.
You
might
like to investigate the possibilty of buying a do-it-yourself
electronic
blood pressure machine, which you can obtain from high street chemists,
and
which are accurate and eminently portable. If you confirm persistently
high
blood pressure readings, you should be treated.
Initial tests from your doctor should include analysis of your urine
and a
blood test for kidney function, glucose level, blood fats and
electrolytes
(minerals in the blood). An electrocardiogram would also be useful as
an
additional assessment of any organ damage.
If all tests are normal, and
there is no underlying cause of your blood pressure, a beta-blocker
type of
medication would be ideal for you in view of your anxiety. A
beta-blocker
such as <a href="../medicines/showpreparation.asp?id=2177">propranolol</a> is effective in reducing blood pressure and at the
same
time would reduce any physical manifestations of anxiety such as sweaty
palms, nausea, fast pulse and palpitations without causing sedation and
tiredness like other forms of treatment for anxiety.
Other types of anti-hypertensive treatments include diuretics, ACE
inhibitors such as <a href="../medicines/showpreparation.asp?id=452">captopril</a> and others which you should discuss in some detail with your
own
doctor before making any choice about any on-going therapy.
Finally, don't let your high blood pressure become another cause of
anxiety
for you. It is eminently treatable and after a conversation with your
own
doctor you may find that some lifestyle changes alone might do the
trick
without recourse to therapy at all.
Yours sincerely
Dr Hilary Jones
GP
Hope it works as ive copied and pasted, if not sorry ignore this post lol :blush:
Question
If blood presure is always high when tested and anxiety is a condition you have suffered from is there any other test to determinewhether blood pressure measurement is accurate? Also what are the
side effects of drug treatment of high blood presure?
Answer
Your blood pressure rises and falls naturally throughout the day, and
can be
affected by stress, anxiety, exertion, alcohol and food intake, amongst
other things. It is quite possible, as you imply in your question, that
your
anxiety is one of the underlying reasons for your high blood pressure. Doctors on the whole are aware of this and have even dubbed the condition "white coat syndrome" due to the anxiety provoking (and thus blood pressure raising) effect which the doctors themselves have on some people.
<br><BR>
High blood pressure is therefore never diagnosed on just one or even a
few
readings. To confer a diagnosis of high blood pressure, persistently
elevated readings has to be recorded at different times of the day, on
different days and in different circumstances. The blood pressure tends
to
be lower in the evening for example, than it is in the morning and
after
exercise. But you mention that your blood pressure is always high. Whatever the cause, it may need to be treated because <a href="../diseases/facts/hypertension.htm">high blood pressure</a> increases your risk of damage to the blood vessels, heart and kidneys.
You
might
like to investigate the possibilty of buying a do-it-yourself
electronic
blood pressure machine, which you can obtain from high street chemists,
and
which are accurate and eminently portable. If you confirm persistently
high
blood pressure readings, you should be treated.
Initial tests from your doctor should include analysis of your urine
and a
blood test for kidney function, glucose level, blood fats and
electrolytes
(minerals in the blood). An electrocardiogram would also be useful as
an
additional assessment of any organ damage.
If all tests are normal, and
there is no underlying cause of your blood pressure, a beta-blocker
type of
medication would be ideal for you in view of your anxiety. A
beta-blocker
such as <a href="../medicines/showpreparation.asp?id=2177">propranolol</a> is effective in reducing blood pressure and at the
same
time would reduce any physical manifestations of anxiety such as sweaty
palms, nausea, fast pulse and palpitations without causing sedation and
tiredness like other forms of treatment for anxiety.
Other types of anti-hypertensive treatments include diuretics, ACE
inhibitors such as <a href="../medicines/showpreparation.asp?id=452">captopril</a> and others which you should discuss in some detail with your
own
doctor before making any choice about any on-going therapy.
Finally, don't let your high blood pressure become another cause of
anxiety
for you. It is eminently treatable and after a conversation with your
own
doctor you may find that some lifestyle changes alone might do the
trick
without recourse to therapy at all.
Yours sincerely
Dr Hilary Jones
GP