The Weather Wreaks Havoc In Spain
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Had a bit of a shock yesterday.
I had to have an mot at the doctor's before they would book me an appointment to see the authopedic nurse.
The mot involves measurements of my height, weight, and blood pressure.
So the doctor proceeded to do the blood pressure test, I didn't look at the readings as she did them, but she done 3 tests, then looked at me and said are you sure your feeling ok, to which I replied yeah I feel fine. Then she said have you ever had head aches, or feeling dizzy, pains in the chest recently, I said no none of those.
So she went onto explain I got to give you some medicine to take when you get home, its a course of tablets because your blood pressure is high enough to trigger a stroke or heart attack.
I think the readings on average were 172 over 93. Worse one was 163 over 100.
But it made me think how many people are walking about not realising they have high blood pressure without realising it.
I'm not over weight or anything, I don't smoke. I only drink alcohol on my days off work. I like to think I have a balanced diet.
Hopefully the tablets will bring it down, but its a shock to myself.
Rene if I was in your position I would buy a basic ONROM Blood Pressure Monitor and take a BP test regularly at home. If you set your equipment up and sit quietly for 5 minutes and then take a reading it will probably be a lot less than one taken at the surgery. I usually take three readings a few minutes apart. Some surgeries will even lend you a monitor for a few weeks.
ladybirder,
Thanks, luckily we have a monitor, but I sat calmly this evening and sadly they haven't dropped.
I have started the course of treatment, but I was just so surprised really as I do have quite an active lifestyle and love walking.
I think what made me think is if it wasn't for the random request of an mot, this would have gone on undetected, and God knows what it could lead to.
Plus having a blood pressure check isn't something people do. Millions of people could unknowingly have high blood pressure.
It was quite a wake up call.
lots of people have high BP with no particular cause, and without symptoms to investigate you don't get a chance to find out. The risks rise as you get older. Anyway, you've caught it and you can take action. You're not being punished for anything except ignorance, shared by very many people.
Take your own BP, then relax for a couple of minutes and do it again. Or best of three if you like.
When blood pressures in people were first being measured, the medical community did not appreciate what the significance of the measurements were.
They soon noted that those with a high blood pressure were much more likely to suffer a stroke, and/or other medical issues due to the increased pressure on the body blood circulatory system.
Consider it like this, having high blood pressure is rather like your home hot water/boiler system having too high a pressure – which is more likely to suffer a leak, than a system operating at the correct pressure.
It is not that unusual for someone to have blood pressure readings as yours. Many years ago I met an American who was around 10 years my senior, and fitter than me – but said that his blood pressure readings were around 200 over 100. He refused to take any medication for this, with his view being that this was his normal health blood pressure. Not having kept in touch with him I don’t know if he is OK – but he was certainly at significant health risk due to having such a high blood pressure.
Many years ago, whilst having the pre-op medical for a hip replacement, the nurse asked me if I was on medication for my blood pressure, which I wasn't. He said I had an unusually low heart beat of 43 bpm. I asked if this was a cause for concern but he said not if it doesn't bother you, which it didn't. Still doesn't.
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