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blood pressure
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hi I have mild high blood pressure.I was in hospital for cataract.They took my blood pressure and said it was a bit high (150/95) but it was OK.The problem is I have 2 blood monitors and each one is always less at home than the hospital and doctors.I told the doctor and he told me to monitor my blood pressure 3 times a day for a fortnight and report back to him.He looked at the results and said they were quite good and that I should continue monitoring and let him know if it goes above 140/90 consistently.
This is all very well because I am getting big variations at home.In the last week my lowest reading was 106/73 and my highest was 141/98.I follow all the instructions such as 5 mins relax and 2 mins between each reading (I take 3 readings each time and take average.) How can doctors rely on blood pressure readings to prescribe you drugs since last week there is a report that there are thousands of people prescribed drugs with bad side effects.
The doctor said I suffer from white coat hypertension.Should I be hesitant in taking any drugs that he prescribes and does any body have big variations at home and have they done anything obout it. Answers appreciated
Regards ----James
This is all very well because I am getting big variations at home.In the last week my lowest reading was 106/73 and my highest was 141/98.I follow all the instructions such as 5 mins relax and 2 mins between each reading (I take 3 readings each time and take average.) How can doctors rely on blood pressure readings to prescribe you drugs since last week there is a report that there are thousands of people prescribed drugs with bad side effects.
The doctor said I suffer from white coat hypertension.Should I be hesitant in taking any drugs that he prescribes and does any body have big variations at home and have they done anything obout it. Answers appreciated
Regards ----James
Answers
Best Answer
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I used mercury-type sphygmomanometers in hospital practice for many years. These were never recalibrated. Latterly, I began to doubt the accuracy of my readings, since these depended, in part, on the acuity of my hearing, and blessed the day when electronics came to the rescue.
The best home monitors are those which use an upper-arm cuff, rather than a wrist-cuff. Of the 2 readings the diastolic (lower) is the more significant, as this is the residual pressure in the arteries between heart beats. Even minor exercise will tend to make the systolic pressure vary, as will one's emotional status, hence the 'white-coat phenomenon'.
I trust my home monitoring, taken weekly during a period of absolute rest, and doubt the accuracy of readings. taken at GPs surgeries.
The best home monitors are those which use an upper-arm cuff, rather than a wrist-cuff. Of the 2 readings the diastolic (lower) is the more significant, as this is the residual pressure in the arteries between heart beats. Even minor exercise will tend to make the systolic pressure vary, as will one's emotional status, hence the 'white-coat phenomenon'.
I trust my home monitoring, taken weekly during a period of absolute rest, and doubt the accuracy of readings. taken at GPs surgeries.