Blood pressure

[Dr Jekyll]

Had a blood pressure test at work and found my score was 180 over 110 .

I'm feeling perfectly OK though, and apart from being a bit overweight (BMI hovering around 30-31) I can't think what could be causing it.

Any suggestions?

[sawman]

go to the doctors and get checked again.

[mph1977]

a single high reading is nothing top be pannicing aobut at that level ( it it had been 280/ 150 as i once saw in an apparently asymptomatic person at pre-assessment thatm ight have been different )

as the other reply said - it needs to be checked again several times ... and follwing the Hypertension society guidelines over pre -testing resting period etc

if it;s still high some places would use an ambulatory monitor to exclude situational / 'white coat' hypertension - although an ambulantroy monitor is not as uninstrusive as some ambulatory montoring - becasue it still uses the blow up cuff ... (because there are only two ways to measure BP - the blow up cuff or by directly plumbing into an artery )

[numtumfutunch]

Dude, I feel the pain
Im under 50 in good shape and have minimal vices

I was tested by the nurse at work last year for no particular reason other than I was bored and she was foxy

Unfortunately I was nursing a mammoth hangover, had done several back to back coffees and also hadnt slept much as on top of this our youngest woke with nightmares several times the night before. And did I mention my colleague was fairly foxy???

Predictably the first reading came back as 160/105
The following ones were even higher

Consequently whenever someone slaps a blood pressure machine on me I get all panicky and the readings are through the roof

I am reassured that Im probably not going to die by sneakily robbing the BP machine a few months ago and setting it to automatic whilst it took measurements over an hour when I wasnt hungover, hadnt drunk masses of coffee and was well rested

It started off high but settled to a normal reading eventually

I dont plan to have my BP retaken for a long time

Chances are the OP is fine

The moral of my story is having a spot check high BP is stressful and makes any further readings high too

Best of luck - do you have any other risk factors?

[Dr Jekyll]

numtumfutunch said:

Best of luck - do you have any other risk factors?

Not really, drink very moderately, never smoked. Mind you the nurse was VERY pretty, not technically a risk factor but might well have had an effect.

[Pickled Piper]

As others have advised. Don't panic and go see your GP. If it is genuinely high and not just a spurious reading there are many steps you can take to manage it.

pp

[p1esk]

Last time mine was done it was about 120/60. Maybe I've got a leak somewhere.

[mph1977]

120 /60 isn;t bad , your systolic is spot on ( 100 -130something is text book normal) and the diastolic is a little low ( textbooks say 70-80 something ), but if you are asymptomatic of low BP figures don;t worry

[p1esk]

mph1977 said:

120 /60 isn;t bad , your systolic is spot on ( 100 -130something is text book normal) and the diastolic is a little low ( textbooks say 70-80 something ), but if you are asymptomatic of low BP figures don;t worry

OK, I won't.

Like old man Gustafson said: "I'm 94 years old, what the hell do I care?"

Actually I'm not 94. Another month will see me at 75 - if I last that long.

[markbe]

Dr Jekyll said:

Had a blood pressure test at work and found my score was 180 over 110 .

I'm feeling perfectly OK though, and apart from being a bit overweight (BMI hovering around 30-31) I can't think what could be causing it.

Any suggestions?

Hi DJ, first job is to have a test with no outside variables.
So, 48 Hours before test;
No alcohol.
No coffee or tea.
No fancy food, plain chicken or fish, rice or potatoes and veg.
No salt.
Drink plenty of water only.

Test Time.
Arrive early sit down and relax.
In the test room,
You must sit comfortably for 5-10 minutes before the test.
Breath evenly and normally.
Do not talk while the test is done.
Have 3 readings.

You will now have a base test number to work from.
If you are still near 180-110, get referred to a cardiac specialist ASAP.

Mark.

[johnxjsc1985]

if your BP is high under normal every day conditions is there any point in "preparing2 for a BP test days in advance?.
We all know we should exercise more and eat less cut out the booze etc.

[dingg]

Dr Jekyll said:

Had a blood pressure test at work and found my score was 180 over 110 .

I'm feeling perfectly OK though, and apart from being a bit overweight (BMI hovering around 30-31) I can't think what could be causing it.

Any suggestions?

I was very similar , I was told - you can lose weight , cut down on the drink , take a lot more exercise or go on medication.

now on lisinopril 5mg daily

I like my drink and grub I do!!

[funinhounslow]

Following a slightly high reading (140/96) my nurse advised my to regularly take my bp at home to eliminate any possible "white coat syndrome" effects. (I suppose cycling to the docs and having an altercation on the way didn't do my any favours!)

107/73 this morning!

Early days, but readings taken in the comfort of my own home when I'm relaxed are lower than when flapping at the docs!

I'm keeping records, and the monitor stores the last ten readings, so I'll take both along with me when I go back in Jan/Feb

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Got mine done on spec at a shopping centre. Some public health lark. Trouble was, I'd walked there, 3.5 miles, and had just arrived, so thought it would be catastrophic. Anyway, 119/80. Well chuffed. I'm a couple of stone overweight but get lots of exercise, swim daily, don't smoke and drink very occasionally. I just eat too much.

[silverthorn2151]

Mine is around 118/76 usually. My pulse though almost never drops below 100bpm. I tell people I have a light flywheel. They usually stare back blankly.

Each of my marathon running buddies is on high blood pressure medication whereas I carry a couple of stone too much and have a dodgy hip at the moment.

[J4CKO]

100 bpm, all the time, wow.

My BP is always 140 ish over 70 ish but pulse is like sixty odd, funny how different we are.

[silverthorn2151]

It is strange isn't it. My triathlete mate has a resting heart rate of under 50bpm, yet has high blood pressure.

Thing is, my heart doesn't feel fast to me. I recognise that it does to lots of other people though. Bizarrely though when I exercise real hard on a bike or elliptical trainer I can get my heart to 140/145 but never any more. At that it feels like a grenade is about to explode in my chest. That's quite a narrow power band. I must have a full race cam fitted.

[Dr Jekyll]

Called in at the GP and got retested. Systolic still ridiculous but diastolic now an almost respectable 91. An appointment made for next week to find out why.

[MrChips]

I'm now officially blood pressure champion at work with a 199/110 reading in a regular checkup.

Over the past 9months it's averaged 175/105 and that includes having a 24hr monitor.
Further tests have revealed lots of kidney stones (around 10 each side) which are now being fully investigated.
Trouble is that the high BP is quite worrying me. I don't drink or smoke and diet is ok. I'm cutting down on salt and generally unhealthy foods but need to introduce more exercise.

I do cycle during the summer but can't stand going to a gym. I guess I need some low impact stuff to start with.

The GP has said that they're reluctant to try to lower it via meds as once you're on them it's quite difficult to come off, is that true?

[Dr Jekyll]

Another test at the GP, now 158/94, so higher than they'd like but no real urgency. Thanks for all the advice, I was a bit concerned I was going to be sent to hospital for further tests and advised to pack a toothbrush.