bp test

[alba]

I DID My 24 hours bp test and result showed normal fine, below 140/90, no hypertension but doc still ask me to take 25mg antelolol for palpations. but these 3 daysi 've been having dizzy, giddiness, yesterday very bad giddy hit me, doc check my bp it raised to 160/100. but why the 24hr bp showed below 140/90? pls help. hat is wrong with me. i admit last few days igot stress, anxiety.

[south450]

blood pressure varies during the day.
if you are anxious it will be higher.

[Jaco45er]

Dont worry alba.

I am exactly the same, BP would rise with anxiety but over a 24 hour period my average was below 140/90.

Everyones BP rises with stress or exertion, our bodies are designed to do this.

It is only a problem when we stay above 140/90 for long periods.

TC

Jaco

[PoppyC]

I dont understand how anxiety can have an effect on bp making it rise as I am sure I am one of the most anxious people there are and yet my bp is always lower than 100/60 usually 90/60 and I am also sure the citalopram I am taking is effecting it as I keep feeling dizzy when I stand up from sitting down and when I am walking about.
Citalopram and me have fallen out at the moment! It was my bestest friend 2 weeks ago! :lac:
I am thinking of buying a blood pressure monitor to keep a check on it. They are not that expensive to buy. :unsure:

[alba]

is 24hr bp test accurate?

[Jan63]

I dont understand how anxiety can have an effect on bp making it rise as I am sure I am one of the most anxious people there are and yet my bp is always lower than 100/60 usually 90/60 and I am also sure the citalopram I am taking is effecting it as I keep feeling dizzy when I stand up from sitting down and when I am walking about.
Citalopram and me have fallen out at the moment! It was my bestest friend 2 weeks ago! :lac:
I am thinking of buying a blood pressure monitor to keep a check on it. They are not that expensive to buy. :unsure:


No I can't understand that either Poppy because last September when I was really anxious over an health problem I had and I went to the doctors and he took my blood pressure and he said it was absolutely fine but earlier that year I had been on HRT and I went for a repeat prescription and the nurse took my bp and she said it was really high and I have never suffered with high blood pressure in my life.:shrug: I wasn't anxious in the slightest cos I knew I was only seeing the nurse and having my blood pressure checked and yet it was very high. She took it again about a minute later and it was fine.:huh: How can it be high one minute and fine the next.:unsure:

[nomorepanic]

Yes of course it is accurate - that is why they do it repeatedly over 24 hours rather than just one or two readings a day.

[eurotrashcub]

what is wrong with you is that when your doctor checked your blood pressure you were anxious and/or had white coat syndrome. the valid readings are the ones of the 24 hours tape as they are a reflection of how you bp is usually

my bp is raised at the doctors but ok at home/in a 24 hours tape

[alba]

and my gp docs keep on asking me to take 100mg atenolol, he say it will protect yr heart and brain, by the time i am 60yrs if i don't take this atentlol, i may have heart attack or stroke. i feel so scared he say that. he say this atenolol beta blockers is to protect yr heart and brain but in my heart i say its got side effect right? why ask me to take, do i really hv high bp, each time i go there, i am in panicky state, when i felt dizzy, then i run to see him, and he keep on saying i am dizzy becos i did not take tat atentolol. i am confuse again.he say don't trust that 24hr bp machine

[Jaco45er]

Hi Alba

I would never go agains't what a GP said, I am not qualified to. However, I would possibly go see another Doc for a second opinion.

My understanding is, if there is no other health issues like diabetes, family history etc then an average of below 140/90 over a 24 hour period is not an issue, but the closer to 120/80 the better.

I have an average typically around 144/88 but at present (I am early 40's) my GP said this was not high enough to contemplate going on medication, but it should be monitored annually and revised.

He also said be more active, watch salt intake etc etc to lower it naturally.

He also said cut down on drinking, yer right ;)

TC

Jaco

[Desprate Dan]

Hi i am 32 year old male, and considered myself to be reasonably fit and healthy, drink very little dont smoke and not over weight, yet when i went to get my blood pressure checked it was 160-95 and i got but on a 24hr monitor which showed my pb was high during the 24hr monitoring period, there is heart problems in my family, and i am concerned, yet my GP doesn't want to give me medication to treat it, he said we will just see how things go and check it regular....mmmmm,


What do you think??? shoul i be concerned?

Cheers

[boogal]

Like others on here, I’m also confused about the bp readings I get.

I know I have white coat anxiety, so inevitably my readings are very high at the doc’s. These are aggravated by the conditions under which the readings are taken – no privacy in the consulting room (doors left open to rooms next door so they can hear my consultation with the nurse and I can hear other people’s) and the nurse who takes the readings doesn’t inspire confidence. Last time I was there she was boiling a kettle to make herself a cuppa during my consultation and to make matters worse her long, dirty fingernails make me cringe, but that’s the NHS these days. I sent a letter of complaint and got a lukewarm apology, but effectively the reply was ‘tough, it’s the best we can do.’

Anyway, I have a wrist monitor and I get readings which vary widely, from a good 120/80 to a bad 180/110 and all points in between. At the hospital a few months ago my reading was 200/119. This was during a panicky visit to the emergency room for the palpitations. I’ve taken several readings today and they’re all high, between 153/84 to 179/110. Sometimes though, I find that the systolic pressure is very low – 54 on one occasion.

If I take readings when I feel calm, they’re often high, and sometimes when I know I’m anxious, they are lower . I use a Braun monitor, which is about 5 years old. I’ve tried using it when sitting in different positions or having my arm at different angles, including the one shown on the gadget itself, or when standing. The batteries are replaced often. The readings do differ, though not consistently. To further confuse matters, my last blood pressure taken by the doc (again, not the nurse) came in about 153/90 and she didn’t feel it was so high as to be of concern. I told her that I often get normal readings at home, so she felt that putting me on meds would cause problems when my pressure came down to normal. Conversely, the doc at the hospital (a different visit – not the emergency room) said that even if my high bp was caused by anxiety, I must go on meds.

Later this week I’m off to the doc’s – not the practice nurse – and I’ll ask her to take my pressure with her old pump-type (which I know she uses and I think prefers) and I’ll take my monitor along and do a reading as well. That way I’ll get an idea of how accurate or not my home readings have been.

I also find it’s difficult to find any consistent info on the accuracy of these home monitors. Dr Google throws up results which say they read too high, too low, are useless or wonderful. Neither is there any consistency about which are the best type, either by brand or style, ie, wrist or arm sleeve.

Needless to say, the readings I’ve had from the monitor today have only increased my anxiety …

[mistykell]

The best way to meassure your bp is sitting down. Ive had high bp since i was 20 im now 35! To lower your bp when feeling stressed is to lie on your left hand side but continuisly taken your bp will only keep it raised! Even though home monitering is good it can be bad also as we tend to keep takinh it only to make it raise as we become anxious. Bp is up and down all day and night, exercise eating and even havingg a hot bath will cause it to raise. if the doc says you need pills then its wise to take atleast it will be under control.