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Blood Pressure Question
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My dad (age 59) has been having headaches and it was suggested that it might be due to high BP, so I went with him to a local pharmacy and got it tested. It showed up very high, so we tested 3 more times and got similar results. We thought the machine might be an issue, so I tested mine as well, and it came up high also.

He called his doctor for an appointment the next day, but in the meantime I was worried about everyone's BP so I bought a nice BP machine and tested the whole family. Everyone in my family came up with very high BP, several of which said they never have high BP. Very strange. In the meantime my dad was tested by his doctor who agreed he needs to be on meds for this. Only 24 hours after taking his first pill his headaches went away completely and haven't come back.

So I was now worried about my own high BP and set up an appointment with the doc for a physical. My appointment isn't for a few days, but I've been testing twice daily and my BP is always normal, never high. The only thing I can think of is that my family took a road trip and ate some super salty mexican food about 45 minutes before doing that initial testing. Could this have caused me to have temporary high BP? All seems normal with me now.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [cbr shadow] [ In reply to ]
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physician here.

Isolated blood pressure measurements are of limited value, given hourly/daily/weekly variations. A one-time measurement that is different from your baseline may be due to a variety of reasons, diet included.

Just like you guys did, we try to look for elevated average values over time using well-calibrated equipment.

I think you made the right call by going to see a professional about it, either way.

I would also advise that you not go crazy with measuring your blood pressure, as the added stress of worrying about your blood pressure can, in itself, make it go higher.

I usually tell my patients to measure their pressures once a day, at the same time of day. Make this a routine (wake up, pee/poop, measure BP, etc). Sit with legs uncrossed a few minutes and relax. Make sure the cuff is situated at the same level as your heart. Write your measurement on a daily log and bring that with you to the appointment.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [stevenyoo] [ In reply to ]
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Hello stevenyoo and All,

Well said ...

My wife uses a wrist BP monitor .... Omron 1000 I think .... easy to use and shows BP and Heart Rate and also if Heart Rate is irregular or skipping ....

She has 'white coat' and we can watch her BP rising as we approach the Doctor's Office ... and decrease when she leaves. Also other perceived stress raises occasionally increases her BP.

Deep breathing for a minute or two will also reduce BP.

When I worked as a pilot we had physicals at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and occasionally pilots were grounded for high blood pressure. What seemed to work for reducing high BP was exercise, body fat reduction, and sodium intake ..... in that order. I flew with on guy that kept a log and said that for awhile he would see 1 pound fat loss causing 1 point lower BP.

At the flight surgeon's office where I had my 6 month physicals there was one patient who could raise and lower his blood pressure and heart rate at will .... I saw him do it .... the nurses were impressed and had the print outs to prove it.

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [stevenyoo] [ In reply to ]
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stevenyoo wrote:
physician here.

Isolated blood pressure measurements are of limited value, given hourly/daily/weekly variations. A one-time measurement that is different from your baseline may be due to a variety of reasons, diet included.

Just like you guys did, we try to look for elevated average values over time using well-calibrated equipment.

I think you made the right call by going to see a professional about it, either way.

I would also advise that you not go crazy with measuring your blood pressure, as the added stress of worrying about your blood pressure can, in itself, make it go higher.

I usually tell my patients to measure their pressures once a day, at the same time of day. Make this a routine (wake up, pee/poop, measure BP, etc). Sit with legs uncrossed a few minutes and relax. Make sure the cuff is situated at the same level as your heart. Write your measurement on a daily log and bring that with you to the appointment.

All of this ^^.

We manufacture home blood pressure monitors and it is really hard getting people to understand that blood pressure is NOT a static measurement. It varies day-to-day,and hour-hour and any number of variables can affect it (diet, activity, stress, etc).

Avoid the in-store kiosks....while some of the latest versions are quite good, the majority of them are crap and no longer calibrated properly. Combine that with the stress of going there to measure BP, driving / walking there and in the store, and the surprise by the measurement process (rapid inlfation, high pressure) and it is almost impossible to get a reliable reading there.

Your best bet is a home monitor that you can use at your leisure at home. This allows you to be consistent when you take the measurement, provides you with the time to relax before taking a reading, etc. We also recommend taking multiple measurements in the same sitting (preferably 3) and averaging those pressures. You'd be surprised how much lower the third reading can be over the first.

I would be more than happy to help anyone out that is looking for information about home blood pressure monitors (not ours specifically, just in general). They are very affordable (as low as $30-$40) and are very reliable.

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Power13] [ In reply to ]
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Power13 wrote:

All of this ^^.

We manufacture home blood pressure monitors and it is really hard getting people to understand that blood pressure is NOT a static measurement. It varies day-to-day,and hour-hour and any number of variables can affect it (diet, activity, stress, etc).

Avoid the in-store kiosks....while some of the latest versions are quite good, the majority of them are crap and no longer calibrated properly. Combine that with the stress of going there to measure BP, driving / walking there and in the store, and the surprise by the measurement process (rapid inlfation, high pressure) and it is almost impossible to get a reliable reading there.

Your best bet is a home monitor that you can use at your leisure at home. This allows you to be consistent when you take the measurement, provides you with the time to relax before taking a reading, etc. We also recommend taking multiple measurements in the same sitting (preferably 3) and averaging those pressures. You'd be surprised how much lower the third reading can be over the first.

I would be more than happy to help anyone out that is looking for information about home blood pressure monitors (not ours specifically, just in general). They are very affordable (as low as $30-$40) and are very reliable.

In addition to the excellent information above, also consider bringing the actual BP monitor itself to your appointment, to ensure your device matches up with the equipment in the doctor's office. That will ensure you're getting accurate results.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [cbr shadow] [ In reply to ]
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As others have said BP can be highly variable form hour to hour and minute to minute, that is a good thing by the way, but it also makes things difficult from a quantitative perspective. I am younger but have always had slightly higher BP my entire life. I worked with my doctor this year to really establish what is average. Interestingly my BP in general averages 130/70. If i am walking around and sit down it will be 145/80, then 1 minute later 138/78, then 10 minutes later 125/70. If i am working on low sleep high stress it will be higher, good night sleep might be lower. Caffeine will elevate my BP slightly, water/sodium intake will alter BP. Interestingly, exercise will lower my BP for a while, some of my lowest BP reading are after long rides.

To get a good feeling for my BP we established the following protocol:

Took a good BP machine into the doctors office and ensured it was reading in accordance with two other units in the office ( in essence three units were all used at the same time). We then determine if there was a difference between arms, there was by about 3-4 points. Next we ensured we had the ideal placement and specific repeatable tightness. Once this was established i took the following measurements for 3 months

5x a week

- Right after waking up in bed 2 readings 5 minutes apart
- Right before lunch, right after sitting down 2 reading 5 minutes apart
- Evening before bed, sitting down 2 reading 5 minutes apart

1 x a week a few experimental readings (standing, right after exercise, etc) these were all documented and notes were added.

I then averaged all these reading together, and also established nightime/morning/day averages with low/high points. Actually created a nice excel sheet that tracked this over time.

I took all this in and reviewed with the doctor. The rest is up to the doctor, though there is a pretty lively discussion as to the exact thresholds for intervention.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [cbr shadow] [ In reply to ]
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I have slightly high blood pressure (typically about 128/82).
When the doctor takes it, it's usually higher than this, up to 155/?? which caused some concern.
I blame waiting rooms in doctors offices. I'm a bit impatient and waiting rooms really irritate me!

Back in 2012, I got a full once-over for heart health following a suspect reading in a stress ECG. This included wearing a mobile blood pressure monitor for 24hrs and the result was around the 128/82 figure which is similar to what I get if I measure it myself at home. I also got an echo scan of my heart to check for irregularities and measure valves etc and a CAT scan with a contrast to check for any blockages. All results were good. My cholesterol is apparently extremely low, my heart is (or was) structurally normal. No constrictions or blockages of blood vessels and a repeat ECG was perfectly normal. In the end the cardiologist diagnosed the original concerning result as poorly positioned electrodes and an incompetent interpretation. I was told that my slightly high BP was normal for me and there was no underlying issue. Come back in 20 years!

My point is that it's worth checking out the high readings, but as others have said, high readings could be the result of many things including your concern about high readings! Everything may be okay, but you won't know until you follow it up. If it is, great! If it's not, then best to know and address it.

Best of luck.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Ai_1 wrote:
I have slightly high blood pressure (typically about 128/82).
When the doctor takes it, it's usually higher than this, up to 155/?? which caused some concern.
I blame waiting rooms in doctors offices. I'm a bit impatient and waiting rooms really irritate me!

.

This phenomenon is known as "white coat hypertension"... it is a documented response that many people have at doctor's offices and one of the key reasons why you should monitor your BP at home.

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Power13] [ In reply to ]
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Yep, I know. It's very common. It's not necessarily confined to the doctor's office though, it's any stressful situation. In the OPs case, just the fact that there's a suggestion there could be a problem, could be enough to create the illusion of one (either at home or at the doctors office).....or there might really be a problem.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Hello Power13 and All,

Blood pressure can be consciously manipulated short term with bio feedback ... there are devices on Amazon for the procedure and also companies that specialize in teaching the procedures.

Does your company manufacture such devices?

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Ai_1 wrote:
Yep, I know. It's very common. It's not necessarily confined to the doctor's office though, it's any stressful situation. In the OPs case, just the fact that there's a suggestion there could be a problem, could be enough to create the illusion of one (either at home or at the doctors office).....or there might really be a problem.

In my opinion (non-physician) "white-coat" hypertension is still hypertension.
I think it needs to be dealt with, perhaps less aggressively, but it is still a concern.

Just as Andy Coggan doesn't only take your best power outputs, we shouldn't only look at your lowest blood pressures.
In this instance, an exercise study may be warranted.

I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
http://www.AGNCYINNOVATION.com
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [nealhe] [ In reply to ]
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nealhe wrote:
Hello Power13 and All,

Blood pressure can be consciously manipulated short term with bio feedback ... there are devices on Amazon for the procedure and also companies that specialize in teaching the procedures.

Does your company manufacture such devices?

Inkniw the units you are talking about, but no, we do not manufacture them. I'm not certain I buy into the hype / promise of those units...at least not the extendpt that some simple relaxation / meditation techniques at home can't achieve as well.

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [cbr shadow] [ In reply to ]
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cbr shadow wrote:
...my family took a road trip... Could this have caused me to have temporary high BP?

If your family is anything like mine, yes, a family road trip could cause temporarily high BP, lol.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [xtrpickels] [ In reply to ]
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xtrpickels wrote:
Ai_1 wrote:
Yep, I know. It's very common. It's not necessarily confined to the doctor's office though, it's any stressful situation. In the OPs case, just the fact that there's a suggestion there could be a problem, could be enough to create the illusion of one (either at home or at the doctors office).....or there might really be a problem.


In my opinion (non-physician) "white-coat" hypertension is still hypertension.
I think it needs to be dealt with, perhaps less aggressively, but it is still a concern.

Just as Andy Coggan doesn't only take your best power outputs, we shouldn't only look at your lowest blood pressures.
In this instance, an exercise study may be warranted.
If I understand you correctly you're saying that white-coat hypertension is indicative of a health problem or is itself bad for your health and should be treated. I can't see why that would be the case.

White-coat hypertension is a stress induced rise in blood pressure. It's perfectly normal for any mammal's blood pressure to rise in preparation for action when under stress in addition to other responses such as a raised HR. The fight or flight response as it's usually called. I can't see how it's relevant whether or not a visit to the doctor triggers such a response except insofar as it prevents you obtaining a BP measurement comparable with the general population and thus prevents you discovering a problem. White-coat hypertension causes false positives, not false negatives so what's the problem? Sustained high blood pressure is what damages organs and puts health at risk. Not transient responses. Our blood pressure rises during exertion - should we stop training and competing? We use resting heart rate as an indicator of aerobic fitness. Is it relevant that your HR rises when giving a presentation to a large crowd or having an argument - No. Same with blood pressure.


Similarly, in response to those saying they can reduce their BP by conscious effort. I would think doing so during a BP check would be counterproductive. I'm no expert but I would assume that your typical resting blood pressure is representative of a number of factors such as blood vessel size and obstruction, heart performance, required blood flow volume, etc. If you can artificially drop your blood pressure below it's typical resting values for the purpose of recording a low test value, and a doctor uses this value to compare you against the rest of the population and determine probability of a health issue, then the value of the test is surely undermined? If there was a known significance to one's ability to consciously reduce blood pressure, fine, but that's not what the test is trying to establish. It may be a good sign that someone is able to reduce their blood pressure at will, or it might just be a curiosity, but either way it seems to me it won't help with accuracy of diagnosis via a normal BP test.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [stevenyoo] [ In reply to ]
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stevenyoo wrote:
Power13 wrote:


All of this ^^.

We manufacture home blood pressure monitors and it is really hard getting people to understand that blood pressure is NOT a static measurement. It varies day-to-day,and hour-hour and any number of variables can affect it (diet, activity, stress, etc).

Avoid the in-store kiosks....while some of the latest versions are quite good, the majority of them are crap and no longer calibrated properly. Combine that with the stress of going there to measure BP, driving / walking there and in the store, and the surprise by the measurement process (rapid inlfation, high pressure) and it is almost impossible to get a reliable reading there.

Your best bet is a home monitor that you can use at your leisure at home. This allows you to be consistent when you take the measurement, provides you with the time to relax before taking a reading, etc. We also recommend taking multiple measurements in the same sitting (preferably 3) and averaging those pressures. You'd be surprised how much lower the third reading can be over the first.

I would be more than happy to help anyone out that is looking for information about home blood pressure monitors (not ours specifically, just in general). They are very affordable (as low as $30-$40) and are very reliable.


In addition to the excellent information above, also consider bringing the actual BP monitor itself to your appointment, to ensure your device matches up with the equipment in the doctor's office. That will ensure you're getting accurate results.

I purchased a Withings BP monitor a couple years ago and wondered if it was decent enough. Last January I had an issue that turned out to be an ocular migraine. Lost vision in my left eye while driving on the interstate for about 15 minutes. During a visit with a new physician my BP tested high and they thought this could have been related were concerned about a potential stroke. I showed the doctor my phone with the BP tracking normal for many weeks. I had a follow up visit a couple days later so she said bring in the monitor and we will see if it is accurate and if you are experiencing white coat syndrome. Sure enough that next visit my monitor showed a spike in BP and near the same numbers as the nurse from their equipment. I was cleared following tests from the physician and Ophthalmologist and feel a bit better about the BP monitor.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [cbr shadow] [ In reply to ]
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I am digging up this post again. Me? 55 yrs old triathlete with "essential hypertension". I test my blood pressure often and it is high. I had been on medication previously but got it under control and the Doc said I don't have to take it. That was 20 yrs ago and it is high again. I didn't like the meds then and am hesitant now. My diet is good. Cholesterol is good. Blood sugar is good. I'm still training and racing, but not at my best. Yes, I acknowledge that my body is different now.

My question is why? Why take meds? If every other marker for health is good, why is this blood pressure level an issue (I know; stupid question)? I am trying to overcome my own bias and really really ask the question about why controlling high blood pressure with medication is the ONLY answer? Why is having a high blood pressure level an issue at all (I know...stress on the heart muscle and vessels...another stupid question)?

What if:
  • What if my essential hypertension has been dealt with through my endurance athlete lifestyle and things are now stabilized and I have a different "normal" than the average person?
  • What if the medical community doesn't know what to do with an endurance athlete with high blood pressure because they are only accustomed to sick and unhealthy people with high blood pressure?

I'm just trying to look at all possibilities and not just the normal course of action (I'm not satisfied with the normal course of action). If anyone has advice or knows of research on this topic I would love to be pointed in that direction.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [M Ernst] [ In reply to ]
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M Ernst wrote:
I am digging up this post again. Me? 55 yrs old triathlete with "essential hypertension". I test my blood pressure often and it is high. I had been on medication previously but got it under control and the Doc said I don't have to take it. That was 20 yrs ago and it is high again. I didn't like the meds then and am hesitant now. My diet is good. Cholesterol is good. Blood sugar is good. I'm still training and racing, but not at my best. Yes, I acknowledge that my body is different now.

My question is why? Why take meds? If every other marker for health is good, why is this blood pressure level an issue (I know; stupid question)? I am trying to overcome my own bias and really really ask the question about why controlling high blood pressure with medication is the ONLY answer? Why is having a high blood pressure level an issue at all (I know...stress on the heart muscle and vessels...another stupid question)?

What if:
  • What if my essential hypertension has been dealt with through my endurance athlete lifestyle and things are now stabilized and I have a different "normal" than the average person?
  • What if the medical community doesn't know what to do with an endurance athlete with high blood pressure because they are only accustomed to sick and unhealthy people with high blood pressure?

I'm just trying to look at all possibilities and not just the normal course of action (I'm not satisfied with the normal course of action). If anyone has advice or knows of research on this topic I would love to be pointed in that direction.

There are some natural herbs that can lower blood pressure.
https://examine.com/...hibiscus-sabdariffa/
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
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Nolegs wrote:
M Ernst wrote:
I am digging up this post again. Me? 55 yrs old triathlete with "essential hypertension". I test my blood pressure often and it is high. I had been on medication previously but got it under control and the Doc said I don't have to take it. That was 20 yrs ago and it is high again. I didn't like the meds then and am hesitant now. My diet is good. Cholesterol is good. Blood sugar is good. I'm still training and racing, but not at my best. Yes, I acknowledge that my body is different now.

My question is why? Why take meds? If every other marker for health is good, why is this blood pressure level an issue (I know; stupid question)? I am trying to overcome my own bias and really really ask the question about why controlling high blood pressure with medication is the ONLY answer? Why is having a high blood pressure level an issue at all (I know...stress on the heart muscle and vessels...another stupid question)?

What if:
  • What if my essential hypertension has been dealt with through my endurance athlete lifestyle and things are now stabilized and I have a different "normal" than the average person?
  • What if the medical community doesn't know what to do with an endurance athlete with high blood pressure because they are only accustomed to sick and unhealthy people with high blood pressure?

I'm just trying to look at all possibilities and not just the normal course of action (I'm not satisfied with the normal course of action). If anyone has advice or knows of research on this topic I would love to be pointed in that direction.


There are some natural herbs that can lower blood pressure.
https://examine.com/...hibiscus-sabdariffa/

In reading the narrative in the link I assume that it may lower BP due to weight loss in unhealthy people. What abut skinny endurance athletes?
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
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Tried beets/beet root powder?

Seems to lower mine about 10...whatever you measure bp with.
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Re: Blood Pressure Question [rubik] [ In reply to ]
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I have real beet in my smoothy 2x/ week.



rubik wrote:
Tried beets/beet root powder?

Seems to lower mine about 10...whatever you measure bp with.
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