Odd Blood Pressure Reading
Discussion
My wife just checked my blood pressure on her machine which was 135/65 and a heart rate of 47. I am 52 years old.
I do cardio exercise everyday for 30 minutes or 60 minutes at the weekend and have a BMI of 24.5
I eat too much chocolate and not enough fruit. I drink one cup of coffee a day. Otherwise reasonably sensible eating.
My top number seems high but the bottom number seems low. My Mum has high BP.
Any thoughts?
I do cardio exercise everyday for 30 minutes or 60 minutes at the weekend and have a BMI of 24.5
I eat too much chocolate and not enough fruit. I drink one cup of coffee a day. Otherwise reasonably sensible eating.
My top number seems high but the bottom number seems low. My Mum has high BP.
Any thoughts?
Your systolic is slightly high but nothing to worry about: did you sit down quietly,no coffee etc for 5 mins before the test? Systolic is a measure of your arterial pressure and diastolic resting pressure.It's common for a fit persons diastolic to be slightly low.
The norm for bp is 120/80.
Balders - why is the diastolic the most important value?
The norm for bp is 120/80.
Balders - why is the diastolic the most important value?
goldblum said:
Your systolic is slightly high but nothing to worry about: did you sit down quietly,no coffee etc for 5 mins before the test? Systolic is a measure of your arterial pressure and diastolic resting pressure.It's common for a fit persons diastolic to be slightly low.
The norm for bp is 120/80.
Balders - why is the diastolic the most important value?
If i'm honest, I forget why. To my knowledge when diagnosing people with hypertension, the diastolic pressure is the one that really signifies a problem. Maybe because it identifies the lowest pressure in your heart, thefore a high distolic demonstrates a constantly high blood pressure, whereas systlolic shows a harder pump - maybe inline with fitter athletes. The norm for bp is 120/80.
Balders - why is the diastolic the most important value?
Ah right,thanks ( I.K.W.Y.M. about forgetting things !). It used to be the diastole plus the mean difference between diastole and systole was the important value but this has changed and now,with so much emphasis being on heart disease,hypertension,obesity etc the medical profession is heading towards thinking the systolic value is the critical factor.
U of Buffalo:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/00050...
U of Buffalo:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/00050...
goldblum said:
Ah right,thanks ( I.K.W.Y.M. about forgetting things !). It used to be the diastole plus the mean difference between diastole and systole was the important value but this has changed and now,with so much emphasis being on heart disease,hypertension,obesity etc the medical profession is heading towards thinking the systolic value is the critical factor.
U of Buffalo:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/00050...
In that case I stand corrected. Is systloic not less reliable though? In that day to day stuff like exercise, caffeine or even lack of sleep can effect the systole reading to a greater degree?U of Buffalo:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/00050...
at the same time each day.goldblum said:
Yes it's fairly unreliable and the trend now is for 24 hr bp monitoring in certain cases.BTW I wasn't correcting you..some quarters believe the diastole is still the most important value.
Ahh good, I'll stick to that one then, as it means I don't need to worry about my high systolic pressure 
Systolic pressure is the most important reading for the same reasons that you would want to monitor pressure in any 'pipework' mechanical or biological. Things tend to break, rupture, weaken and wear out quicker at a high pressure, particularly if pulsed on and off like a heart beat. The heart is a simple double pump afterall and not dissimilar to mechanical equivalents in all respects.
The fact that stress, illness, hormones and drugs can affect systolic also increases the importance of the reading.
Never heard of diastolic being the most important reading of the two, particularly with the (current) official science. Although when committees are involved things tend to change year on year! E.g. in 2010 hypertension was 140 systolic according to ACSM. 2011 it changed to 160 systolic. Big change!
Anyway, readings; can be affected by many things. I always do a best of 3. A badly wrapped air bag, twisted air pipe, slightly tensed arm, even a cough can seriously mess the readings up...
The fact that stress, illness, hormones and drugs can affect systolic also increases the importance of the reading.
Never heard of diastolic being the most important reading of the two, particularly with the (current) official science. Although when committees are involved things tend to change year on year! E.g. in 2010 hypertension was 140 systolic according to ACSM. 2011 it changed to 160 systolic. Big change!
Anyway, readings; can be affected by many things. I always do a best of 3. A badly wrapped air bag, twisted air pipe, slightly tensed arm, even a cough can seriously mess the readings up...
I think systolic (first number) blood pressure is the more important one as it is the number by which you measure hypertension. Anything consistently over 140 needs to be checked becasue the body doesn't reset itself back to normal if the pressure increase is constant and instead tries to keep the 'new' pressure which can increase the rate of organ damage.
JumboBeef said:
OP, your BP is fine! However, with a HR of 47 you are bradycardic. Can you take a few more reading, particularity if you are doing some exercise?
Do you ever feel faint or dizzy?
Low hearts rates aren't a problem in fit people. Mine can be as low as 42. A very elite level cyclist (whos names escapes me) had a resting HR of 28 BPM. It's onlty considered a condition if there are other symptoms with it.Do you ever feel faint or dizzy?
R300will said:
JumboBeef said:
OP, your BP is fine! However, with a HR of 47 you are bradycardic. Can you take a few more reading, particularity if you are doing some exercise?
Do you ever feel faint or dizzy?
Low heart rate and fine BP means he isn't bradycardic just very fitDo you ever feel faint or dizzy?
Very fit? 30 mins of exercise a day (60 at weekends) and liking chocolate too much does not tend to make someone VERY fit.
Yes, I've seen resting HRs of <40, but these tend to be in people who run or cycle for several hours almost daily.
JumboBeef said:
R300will said:
JumboBeef said:
OP, your BP is fine! However, with a HR of 47 you are bradycardic. Can you take a few more reading, particularity if you are doing some exercise?
Do you ever feel faint or dizzy?
Low heart rate and fine BP means he isn't bradycardic just very fitDo you ever feel faint or dizzy?
Very fit? 30 mins of exercise a day (60 at weekends) and liking chocolate too much does not tend to make someone VERY fit.
Yes, I've seen resting HRs of <40, but these tend to be in people who run or cycle for several hours almost daily.
It may technically be bradycardia relative to a normal person but as it wouldn't cause symptoms in a fit person it would be classed as normal for them therefore nothing to worry about.
But i agree with you that the OP in this case isn't very fit and so the heart rate is a tad unusual and therefore something to look at.
Bradycardia is relevant to a persons general health.There is nothing unusual about the OP's readings.He does the recommended amount of exercise per week (ACSM,2006).His values are all within acceptable ranges according to the normative data.Providing correct protocol was observed when bp, rhr and bmi are taken together the result is the OP would be classed as perfectly healthy.Given the amount of exercise he does and the fact noone on this forum knows exactly what intensity the OP trains at it's safe to assume a good level of fitness..If the OP was bradycardic it's most likely other symptoms would present such as dizziness,shortness of breath etc.
Thanks very much for all the replies and comments.
I have ordered a BP monitor and I will take some regular readings. If the pattern remains the same I will go to see the doctor (and of course report back to PH!).
I will also make a concerted effort to substitute some of the chocolate with fruit.
I have ordered a BP monitor and I will take some regular readings. If the pattern remains the same I will go to see the doctor (and of course report back to PH!).
I will also make a concerted effort to substitute some of the chocolate with fruit.
I think I was posting as Goldblum was also posting so just to add:
My exercise machines are a Concept II rower and an Octane Fitness cross trainer.
I row between 7,200m and 7,500m in 30 minutes on Sat, Sun, Tue and Thur. I use the cross trainer on different interval training programs for 30 minutes on Sat, Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri.
My heart rate is between 130 and 145 while working out on both machines.
I do occasionally suffer dizziness or light headedness although this is usually if I have been leaning over and get up quickly. I don't suffer dizziness in the normal course of my day.
Thanks again.
My exercise machines are a Concept II rower and an Octane Fitness cross trainer.
I row between 7,200m and 7,500m in 30 minutes on Sat, Sun, Tue and Thur. I use the cross trainer on different interval training programs for 30 minutes on Sat, Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri.
My heart rate is between 130 and 145 while working out on both machines.
I do occasionally suffer dizziness or light headedness although this is usually if I have been leaning over and get up quickly. I don't suffer dizziness in the normal course of my day.
Thanks again.
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