Why has my blood pressure gone through the roof?

[KrazyHorse]

2-3 years ago I recorded a 120/75 or so.

In the last year or so I have been running 4-5 times a week and lifting weights ~twice a week. I lost ~15 pounds and then put it back on in muscle (was never at all fat, but am now very lean and somewhat built). My diet has gone from meats+cheeses/fats+pastas to consisting largely of lean meats (I eat around a pound of chicken breast a day) and some pastas and fats. Much lower sweets intake. I consume alcohol at about the same frequency and volume as I did before. I am, without a doubt, in the best shape of my life as measured by cardiovascular or muscular fitness. I was walking by a blood pressure tester in the pharmacy a couple of weeks ago, and decided to test myself. I got a 137/78. Today I decided to retest in case it was a fluke and recorded a 138/75.

I'm 5'11 and 162 lbs (1.80m and 74kg) and 26 years old.

WTF?

[Guynemer]

Those automated BP cuffs are notoriously inaccurate. I wouldn't put too must trust into their readings.

[KrazyHorse]

They seemed to record normal numbers for both my wife and her friend.

[KrazyHorse]

Nevertheless, it's been a while since I saw a doctor (I had a health screening before being allowed to register for Hopkins 3.5 years ago, and last saw a doctor before that ~10 years ago).

I think I'll go and make sure he runs me through the sphygmomanometer

[Guynemer]

They simply aren't as precise as well-trained medical professionals.

Also, the likely large difference between your wife's arm size and your own can skew the results on those automated machines.


(By the by, I don't think I've given you congrats on the wedding yet, so congrats.)

[notyoueither]

Congrats on the wedding.

BTW, I had a registered nurse think I was dead, or dying, when taking my pulse.

I had to explain that I played football 8 times a week, and my at rest pulse was supposed to be very slow.

[Guynemer]

Funny you should mention that. A very, very similar thing happened in my hospital last night. When it was explained to the nurse that it was perfectly fine for this kids heart rate to be 35-40, she looked at me as if I had claimed to be the exiled King of Slovenia.

[notyoueither]

Let's hear it for strong hearts!

Mine wasn't that low. About 50 or so. The smell of smoke from my clothing might have freaked her out though.

[pchang]

Don't worry

You are probably fine. However, genetics can often override being "in shape". If you have a family history for hypertension, you may be screwed. Otherwise, you are most likely fine and the readings from the machine were inaccurate.

BTW - if you were angry or otherwise uptight, it could have increased your readings temporarily.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Congrats on the wedding.

BTW, I had a registered nurse think I was dead, or dying, when taking my pulse.

I had to explain that I played football 8 times a week, and my at rest pulse was supposed to be very slow.

Thanks.

Yeah, my RHR is around a 50. The machine was right on that, at least. It gave me a 56, which is about right for the middle of the day if I'm not running or exerting myself too much.

[Jon Miller]

Eh, that isn't high... even with my high blood prssure medication mine routinely runs at 130/90...

If I have been sleeping good, and doing everything right, mine is 115/75 - 120/80 ish. (during the day)

Any caffiene or not sleeping good, or exercise, will cause that number to rise.

Jon Miller

[KrazyHorse]

138 is starting to get up there, Jon.

It's certainly not healthy.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Those automated BP cuffs are notoriously inaccurate. I wouldn't put too must trust into their readings.

Tell me about it. I had my yearly checkup today, the nurse had to use the hand-pumped cuffs because the machine kept giving absurdly high (160/110, my actual BP is around 120/70 or so) readings.

[Jon Miller]

Hand pumps are the way to go anyways..

170/120 is what I had when I got put on the blood pressure medication.

From Wikipedia:
" * Systolic between 90 and 135 mm Hg (or 90 and 135 Torr, 12 to 18 kPa)
* Diastolic between 50 and 90 mm Hg (or 50 and 90 Torr, 7 to 12 kPa)
In the past, most attention was paid to diastolic pressure; but nowadays it is recognised that both high systolic pressure and high pulse pressure (the numerical difference between systolic and diastolic pressures) are also risk factors. In some cases, it appears that a decrease in excessive diastolic pressure can actually increase risk, due probably to the increased difference between systolic and diastolic pressures (see the article on pulse pressure)."

Jon Miller

[MRT144]

you are receiving less oral sex as a result of your marriage. this leads to higher stress.