Blood Pressure

[lazybloke]

Below 60 diastolic is what I've heard, and mine does go lower when relaxed at home.

My GP is aware of that, but didn't flag any worries.... although has put me on annual observations.

Will have some questions for my next visit.

 

[Sharky]

Had a healthcheck myself this week. All good apart frm my BMI which was over range. I think I need to do some stretching to increase my height.

But the nurse said that the ideal top limit for blood pressure is now deemed to be 140, rather than 120, before they get worried.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

But the nurse said that the ideal top limit for blood pressure is now deemed to be 140, rather than 120, before they get worried.

Likely to do with how many now fall between 120 and 140 and the cost and impact on services if they tried to treat them all. If 90% of results are between 120 and 140, they’d not cope etc.

 

[rualexander]

Had a healthcheck myself this week. All good apart frm my BMI which was over range. I think I need to do some stretching to increase my height.

But the nurse said that the ideal top limit for blood pressure is now deemed to be 140, rather than 120, before they get worried.

Generally in the UK, 140 has been the upper limit for a long time for systolic pressure before treatment is considered.

 

[UphillSlowly]

I have had terrible problems with high blood pressure over the years and have been on medication for a while. I have changed my cycling to low heart rate and it has really paid off. I have been getting very dizzy when getting up and at the GP's it was 113/72 even with my white coat syndrome this was a record for me. Today I have been feeling very dizzy at times and measured it with my wrist cuff monitor and it was 86/52. Good job I have got an appointment with the cardiologist. Time for a change to the treatment.

Wrist cuff monitors can be notoriously inaccurate. Not recommended by British Hypertension Society, but even so glad you are getting this looked at

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have this upper arm one

https://giftshop.bhf.org.uk/a-d-ua-611-blood-pressure-monitor

 

[UphillSlowly]

I have this upper arm one

https://giftshop.bhf.org.uk/a-d-ua-611-blood-pressure-monitor

Not a brand I tend to use, but would assume BHF is reputable. Also worth noting that a GP will regularly get their BP machines calibrated, so every now and again may be worth taking yours to the practice nurse to make sure you get similar, ie accurate, readings. Cuff size also important to get right. Too large leads to under estimation and opposite for cuffs that are too small

 

[Ming the Merciless]

but would assume BHF is reputable

I’d say the British Heart Foundation has a good reputation. But since you’re not British you won’t have heard of them.

 

[UphillSlowly]

I’d say the British Heart Foundation has a good reputation. But since you’re not British you won’t have heard of them.

How do you know I am not British?

 

[lazybloke]

Accent

 

[Ming the Merciless]

How do you know I am not British?

You don’t know who the British Heart Foundation are, or whether they are reputable?

 

[UphillSlowly]

You don’t know who the British Heart Foundation are, or whether they are reputable?

I clicked on the link. The brand is "A&D Medical" - not a brand I have ever come across. The shop is British Heart Foundation. They don't make their own BP monitors. I'm a British GP with a British passport

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I clicked on the link. The brand is "A&D Medical" - not a brand I have ever come across. The shop is British Heart Foundation. They don't make their own BP monitors. I'm a British GP with a British passport

Surprised at that, as they have rather a lot of blood pressure monitors on the British and Irish Hypertension society’s.

Validated BP Monitors for Home Use​

https://bihsoc.org/bp-monitors/for-home-use/

Do you use a different list when recommending BP monitors for home use to patients? Is that list available to the public?

 

[UphillSlowly]

Surprised at that, as they have rather a lot of blood pressure monitors on the British and Irish Hypertension society’s

Validated BP Monitors for Home Use​

https://bihsoc.org/bp-monitors/for-home-use/

Guess the practice manager and the nurses just stick with what they know when they put the orders in. As I said, I am sure they are perfectly fine as they are recommended by BHF (and BIHSOC) just never used one or seen one in 17 years as a doctor in the UK, but then I have only ever used one or two brands of otoscope or stethoscope or blood pressure machine. Point I was making (badly) a few hours ago is that blood pressure machines may need calibrating yearly and have to have correctly fitting cuffs to be accurate (the one you link to has a marker on the cuff, to check for fitting - the solid white line)

 

[nagden]

Wrist cuff monitors can be notoriously inaccurate. Not recommended by British Hypertension Society, but even so glad you are getting this looked at

Last week I wore a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours. Although the cardiologist was happy with the results I felt that they were probably higher than should they should have been. As it turned out it wasn't the best 24 hours. Had to do a lot of driving in heavy traffic and in the evening our neighbour's barn caught fire and was helping to clear up and make sure nothing else caught fire, it was a bit full on till one in the morning. I'm going to buy an arm cuff monitor and keep records.The cardiologist doesn't rate the wrist ones.