high blood pressure?

crazyeyes

Active Member
I Have been looking into the proper way of taking blood pressure after I took my dot physical and was told my blood pressure was high. I started taking my own blood pressure and found out that it is normal (maybe a little high) . Your arm position during the test is very important . Your arm should be resting on a table. If your arm is not you will get a bad reading. My B.P. is 127/76 when my arm is resting on a table as in the web site. When I am seated and my arm is straight down it is 144/93. The numbers very about 20 points, between arm resting on and table and arm straight down. I also took my wife’s B.P. and hers very about 10 points. I got a 1 year card because I believe the Doctor took the B.P. wrong.
Next time you get a Physical , watch out for this…… DISCALIMER I am not a doctor just a dumb driver
Next time Doctor crazy- eyes will study the effects of florescent lighting when you are reading an eye chart.
 
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moreluck

golden ticket member
Taken at home, my BP is always lower than in the doctor's office.....no matter what position the arm is in. It's called "white coat syndrome".

Maybe keeping a record of your BP readings for the year will help next time.
 

SimpleUPSer

Active Member
A couple of other items to note with BP readings.

It can vary by arm. My left arm has lower readings than my right.

There are different size BP cuffs. They will affect your reading by as much as 20 points. If your BP is taken consistently with the same size cuff it will give you more accurate trends.

I make sure to specify my cuff size (large) when I happen to vist my doctor.

My BP is probably lower when I am not at work :funny:
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
A couple of other items to note with BP readings.

It can vary by arm. My left arm has lower readings than my right.

There are different size BP cuffs. They will affect your reading by as much as 20 points. If your BP is taken consistently with the same size cuff it will give you more accurate trends.

I make sure to specify my cuff size (large) when I happen to vist my doctor.

My BP is probably lower when I am not at work :funny:
you are correct about the cuff size affecting your reading. Same thing happens with me.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
When I had my last DOT I mistakenly had two cups of coffee before going. My systolic (top number) was well over 140. The nurse was kind enough to finish the rest of the exam and re-take my BP----the systolic had dropped 20 points just in the half hour that I was there.

Cough medicine can raise your BP.

Using the wrong size cuff with your arm in the wrong position can also raise your BP.

The free BP readers at pharmacies are not accurate.

Our safety person will occasionally bring in our local EMS to take blood pressures----some of the readings they get are off the chart.

Taking an extended break from Brown Café will lower your blood pressure. : )
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
When I had my last DOT I mistakenly had two cups of coffee before going. My systolic (top number) was well over 140. The nurse was kind enough to finish the rest of the exam and re-take my BP----the systolic had dropped 20 points just in the half hour that I was there.

Using the wrong size cuff with your arm in the wrong position can also raise your BP.

The doctor always tells the nurse to get the elephant cuff for me.
​It does make a difference.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
The doctor always tells the nurse to get the elephant cuff for me.
​It does make a difference.
Have you ever wondered if the smaller cuff is right?

Next time I go to the doc in a box, and he says my BP is high, should I ask for a bigger cuff knowing this will produce a lesser BP?

I mean, really, which is right?
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
White coat fever. Seriously a 5 yr old could perform our DOT.. They have put it on over my shirt sleeve, tried to take it while standing....that makes it higher. I know mine is right around 128/78. Yet when I go there its close to border. When I have gone to my own doc, even after a car accident, it was a little higher, but I sat there and relaxed a minute, it went down. You need to know if it is, but a bogus reading is just cause for more meds, and doc visits that are not necessary. I dont like doc offices.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
My BP was borderline high but has dropped nicely since I retired. Also, when they do a fasting blood sugar on you that will raise your BP when they check it. I had that happen a couple of years ago.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
White coat fever. Seriously a 5 yr old could perform our DOT.. They have put it on over my shirt sleeve, tried to take it while standing....that makes it higher. I know mine is right around 128/78. Yet when I go there its close to border. When I have gone to my own doc, even after a car accident, it was a little higher, but I sat there and relaxed a minute, it went down. You need to know if it is, but a bogus reading is just cause for more meds, and doc visits that are not necessary. I dont like doc offices.

Placing the cuff over your shirt sleeve should not make a difference.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
BP will probably be slightly higher if they check left arm vs right but I don't think over shirt should matter except to maybe make it more likely to not get a good reading so need to check again.
 
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