Question About Recording Systolic Blood Pressure?!


Question:

Question About Recording Systolic Blood Pressure?

I take my blood pressure once a week on a blood pressure machine. When I first sit down and record my BP, the systolic is quite high (about 140-144), but after a moment or two, I'll retake my systolic BP and it will be around 122-128. What is the reason for this discrepency? And which number should I take as my "real" systolic BP? Thanks.


Answers:

In the emergency room and in the medical offices in which I have worked, blood pressures are taken only after the individual has been settled for at least one minute. That is standard nursing practice.

What you are experiencing is the sudden but temporary change in what is called orthostatic blood pressures due to being in motion. Normally the body will adjust quickly, and that's what the one minute or more wait is accommodating. When ortho B/Ps are are ordered in a clinical setting, we wait at least one minute after the new position is achieved before taking the blood pressure.

Are you taking this weekly blood pressure at your local friendly pharmacy? Those machines are often not calibrated well. Try a few of them if you can to get agreement between, hopefully, the best of the bunch.

If you are taking it at home with an automated blood pressure system, then make sure you are in the same position each time, and that the cuff is at the level of your heart. That is not too important if you use a cuff on the upper arm, but the wrist ones are notorious for wrong readings if you don't put the cuff on your heart level.

To answer your final question: Record the one after resting at least a minute or two. Any measurement taken during motion or immediately after has little if any meaning.




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