What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
When I was first diagnosed, my blood pressure was very high at 220/140, so I was very keen to find out what this meant for me!
Blood pressure is read at two points: at the systole, which is the high point at which the heart contracts to empty its blood into the circulatory system. The low point is the point at which the heart relaxes to fill with blood returned by the circulation, called diastole. Most guidelines suggest that if a person’s diastolic pressure is greater than 90 to 95mm and their systolic pressure is greater than 140 to 16 mm, then that person should receive treatment in order to lower the blood pressure. For example if the systolic pressure is 120 and the diastolic presure is 80 the doctor would say your blood pressure is 120 over 80 or 120/80 .
Does Blood Pressure Stay the Same?
Blood pressure varies throughout the day, even when we are not active. This is a natural biorhythm,. this altered biorhythm seems to have clinical consequences. Heart attacks and strokes occur most commonly early in the morning when blood pressure is at its highest point in its 24 hour cycle.
As part of my own initial evaluation, I wore a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours, which measured my BP readings every 10 minutes and automatically recorded the data for the consultant to study.
Sometimes irregular visits to the doctor can produce misleading results if the readings are taken say early in the morning at one visit and late in the afternoon. Another interesting phenomenon is called the ‘LAB COAT EFFECT’. A visit to the doctor often produces anxiety, which causes blood pressure to go up! Often the nurse will take another reading 5 minutes later and it will be lower or ‘normal’.
In fact home monitoring with your own blood pressure monitor at the same time of day when relaxed can be useful execise. Use the same arm as BP can vary slightly between arms. Avoid smoking, strong nasal sprays and strong coffee for an hour before taking a reading. It is important not to let high blood pressure take over your life. Becoming obsessive about it will only raise your BP unnecessarily.
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Always take medical advice before coming off prescribed medications
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