Blood Pressure

[daz3210]

What do the two figures actually mean?

I know the basics of when it is being measured one is the pressure needed to stop flow, and the other to do with flow restarting.

But what are the figures being measured actually telling the medics? Does it have anything to do with fitness of the heart or something?

[goldblum]

Systolic - the 'pumping' phase of the heart (LV),over diastolic - the non-pump bit.So the top number is much higher because of the 'push' pressure.BP,or at least high BP means nothing without further investigation.

Try to stop stressing out:It will make your BP considerably higher.

[daz3210]

So is one less important than the other.

[turbolucie]

daz3210 said:

So is one less important than the other.

What do you have in mind?

They're both 'important'...in most of the hypertensive population, the systolic reading will be much more raised than the diastolic. There is a thing called isolated diastolic hypertension where the diastolic is significantly raised alone, but that's something different.

[daz3210]

turbolucie said:

daz3210 said:

So is one less important than the other.

What do you have in mind?

They're both 'important'...in most of the hypertensive population, the systolic reading will be much more raised than the diastolic. There is a thing called isolated diastolic hypertension where the diastolic is significantly raised alone, but that's something different.

Was thinking about two readings I took about five mins apart yesterday.

First was 150/120.
Second was 168/98.

Doc told me a while back that if I was less than 150/95 he wouldn't be thinking about pills.

So, between the two readings I am seeing almost the figures the doc suggested, but in different readings.

I am not worrying about the readings as such (there is little I can do, I just have to go with the flow of what the Doc says), but I am somewhat interested about what the differences between the readings means. (e.g first reading has a difference of 30, the second 70).

[DrMekon]

It means their is a lot of intra-individual variation in BP. Follow the procedure properly - http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/BloodPressureandyou/Home...

My machine takes 3 measures and records the mean. I do this twice daily. Looks like this (bottom of the chart is pulse rate.

[daz3210]

Thanks for this.

I did a google search of intra-individual variation in blood pressure, and while I found numerous medical papers on the subject, I have not found a laymans description.

Any chance of helping out?

[DrMekon]

It means BP jumps around alot for reasons you don't need to worry about. Use the guide in that video, record the average of 3 measures morning and evening. The guy in my dept who did his PhD on it suggests that average of 3, morning, lunch, afternoon and evening is what it takes to get a true sense of your BP. That may be the case, but you'd have to be retired to fit that in! I can just about get away with doing 3x morning and evening if I can get the kids fed and sat in front of CBeebies for 6 minutes and remember to do it before bed. TBH, I've been doing it for about a month, and mines a really boring 115/65 ish, so I'm going to put the monitor in a cupboard for a few months then check it again.

[daz3210]

While you say I don't need to worry about the reasons, I am intrigued to know of them.

[sawman]

DrMekon said:

, and mines a really boring 115/65 ish, so I'm going to put the monitor in a cupboard for a few months then check it again.

I think at that reading you can put the monitor in the cupboard for a year or two.

when it gets to 140/90 get it checked

heres what NICE has to say: NICE guideline

[JumboBeef]

Text book BP is 120/80.

Think of it this way:

You connect a foot pump to a tyre (which has air in it already). The reading you get would be the 80 bit. Now pump: as you pump, this is the 120 bit.....

You said:

First was 150/120.
Second was 168/98.

These figures are too high*

• general statement without knowing anything about you, your age and lifestyle.

You should aim for 120/80 or thereabouts.

To answer your earlier question: the first figure being raised (which might go up due to stress for example) is not as worrying as the second figure being elevated. Anything over 140/90 is classed as hypertensive (high blood pressure).

Your figures are not dangerous in the short term but you don't want to leave it long term. Consider your lifestyle (weight, drink, smoking, etc) and go and see another doctor!

PS: I work for the ambulance service and see BPs every day.

[daz3210]

Thanks JB.

I know they are too high, and I am seeing doctor for it.

But I am trying to get my head around what the figures actually mean etc.

[K77 CTR]

daz3210 said:

Thanks JB.

I know they are too high, and I am seeing doctor for it.

But I am trying to get my head around what the figures actually mean etc.

http://www.webmd.boots.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/diastolic-and-systolic-blood-pressure-know-your-numbers

[daz3210]

K77 CTR said:

http://www.webmd.boots.com/hypertension-high-blood...

Again, thanks.

I already pretty much knew that, but I am looking for more indepth info into the meanings of why pressures do certain things.

As mentioned earlier I seem to have rapid variations in the pressures.

I also found out this morning (from the doc) that ramipril doesn't work for me. It put my pressures UP, not down.

[daz3210]

OK, update.

Got called into the doc after a 24hour monitor thingy.

Basically the doc wants to get to the bottom of what is causing the raised blood pressure, because I am 'too young' for this kind of problem.

Tried an MRI on my kidneys, but I am claustrophobic, and couldn't stand the machine.

MRI department have suggested an 'open' machine, but the nearest is Birmingham, and the PCT won't fund that.

So next best option is some kind of procedure where they put a wire in through my groin and inject dye into my kidney then x-ray it.

But first I have to see a cardiologist to see what he thinks.

Anyone heard of the procedure described? I would like an idea of what it involves. Plus, I have had an hernia repair to the groin, will that affect it?

[z4me]

what about a sedative for the MRI scan. Mrs goes loopy in confined spaces, oh and the knocking noise drives her extra nuts too, but a couple of tramadol (sp) 20 mins before and she had no problems.

[dave_s13]

daz3210 said:

Tried an MRI on my kidneys, but I am claustrophobic, and couldn't stand the machine.

You big jessy.

Are you fat, unfit, smoke, drink, not exercise, bad diet etc etc??

Very simpplified and off the top my head this lot........

The fluid pressure in the arteries is what facilitates the exchange of oxygen into your living tissue and also allows the waste products to be taken off to your kidneys.

If it's too high/low then this function doesn't work as efficiently and organs can fail. High pressures cause turbulence within the vessels which accelerates the aging process (they loses there "spring") and increases the risk of forming clots which can ultimately result in heart attacks/strokes etc.

If you are fat then fat needs a blood supply to remain alive, this extra plumbing require more pressure/flow of blood so losing weight always helps.

If you eat too much salt this buggers about with the way your body works on a chemical level and can increase pressure.

Smoking - chemicals in tobacco smoke cause the blood vessels to close up therefeore more pressure is needed to maintain flow.

Alcohol does a similar thing and can cause dehydration which will also increase pressure.

If you don't exercise then you may have poor vascular tone do the heart needs to work harder to keep things going.

BP is a funny old thing though as GP's are treating statistics rather than individuals. Just because you have elevated BP does not mean you will die prematurely, it just means your chancess of doing so are increased.

If any docs are reading and any of the above is wrong then please feel free to pull it apart