(HealthDay News) — Routine blood pressure monitoring measurements taken at clinics are frequently inaccurate and can affect treatment for high blood pressure, according to a new study.
The incorrect measurements occur because some health care providers don’t follow official American Heart Association recommendations for accurate and consistent blood pressure measurements, the researchers said in a journal news release.
Body position, arm position, differences between arms, and blood pressure cuff size and placement can all affect the measurements.
The researchers compared blood pressure measurements of 40 people taken using the AHA-recommend method and the traditional methods routinely used in clinics. The two measurements were different for as many as 93 percent of the patients.
(12 votes, average: 4.42 out of 5)
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There has to be great changes made on BP readings taken in any doctor’s office. This is an extreme situation having experienced a ridiculous circumstance in a dentist’s office. The staff including the dentist’s wife is taking patients BP with an obvious old auto-inflated monitor and standard one cuff size fits all mentality. They do not know how to take it properly. Mine was taken when I was reclined in the dentists chair, people talking and asking me questions, feet elevated, tube not in the right position, balancing the monitor on the arm chair etc.,… all errors. Each time I went they just placed the cuff on the arm, no consideration for position, relaxation, quiet, nothing and this is the way most doctor’s offices take patient’s pressure. You’re fitted into a time slot and they don’t want to take the time to do it right. Then you add White Coat Syndrome on top of all that and it’s a recipie for a ridiculously wrong analysis of a patients pressure. And why do doctor’s say, “Well, you need to relax.” I don’t and can’t relax on command! When I brought them readings that I take at home they ignored them as if I were lying. I told them I have 3 monitors to make sure I am correct and still they treaated me as if I were in some type of denial. I insisted my BP is not 220/113 because I wouldn’t take a chance with my life by ignoring that. My BP ranges from 125/75-135/80 and I’m using Resperate to bring it down. If I’m upset it can go up to 150/90 but it doesn’t stay there. My understanding is hypertension is high BP all the time. And the other reality is when the body is experiencing the “flight and fright” BP can go very high but it doesn’t stay high. It is extremely frustrating that most doctor’s don’t concede that they really don’t understand BP either and are giving incorrect meds to patients who then suffer the consequences of ill health and quality of life while they run through the endless prescriptions until, maybe one is found. Human being are not cookie cutter people.
My doctor’s comment was “Well your BP is normal everywhere but here.” And still he would not admit they were taking it incorrectly or possibly had a faulty monitor. They never tried to take it manually or allow for me to relax, instead they attacked and blamed me. Not all people are the same and we should be treated as individuals.
Wow! Amen to all of that!!!
AMEN to that my BP is ALWAYS high at the doctor’s office because it is so chaotic in there in/out no time with questions, etc……..he just keeps increasing the HBP med dosage………..IT’s WRONG!!! It is a know fact that HBP meds also increase your BP
I agree that too many people are prescribed meds when the only time it is elevated is at the Dr. office. Assuming that readings are normal and below ALL the time outside the Dr. office I would refuse any prescription that raises the dose because the side effects will only get worse.
All too often, the first comment seems typical – the focus is on getting a reading, rather than an accurate one. Reminds me of a time in a hospital, where they gave a GTT, immediately after major surgery, and while still recovering from combination local and general anesthesia. It felt like they were trying to finish me off!! They then advised me I was diabetic. That was more than 30 years ago, and my regular doctor re-tested, looking for a valid result from a valid procedure. I was not diabetic then, or now.
Due to an ignorant Dr I have extreme white coat hypertension and now refuse to allow anyone in medical field to take my bp. I take it at home using an Omron arm cuff. My first systolic reading can be abit high due to nerves but once I get that over with I range around 135/75 and under. As far as I am concerned readings within 140/80 are fine and dandy. They keep lowering the bp requirement until they will have everyone on meds. Meds cause so many side effects and do not address the underlying issues. I keep a healthy weight/eat a vegetarian diet high in raw fruits/vegetables/use Resperate and walk daily.
This describes my primary care physician perfectly. Too busy to take BP properly, and then too quick to pull out his prescription pad and hand out pills.
Alexa, thanks for sharing.
A lot of us are in that very situation. And I’m still trying to find a solution to my HBP. With meds
my BP is 140/76 to 150/76. I’m still working on it.
You must be an advocate of your own body..not to say I am a doctor, but I have HBP and I also had 2 strokes but left with no damage “Thank GOD” all to say that when I first went to see an Internal Medical doctor, they would prescribe me medicine, make an appointment to do follow up, change it again with a even higher dosage and this went on for about 9 months, so they medicines that I had, look like I had my own pharmacy..so I requested to see a nepherologist (kidney) doctor in which some or all specialize in blood pressure because of the kidney..My BP is controlled and instead of taking 6 med per day I am only taking 2…I tell people the more prescriptions physians write the more they receive pay..I receive this information from a surgical nurse..may not be ethical but it is the true…BE AN ADVOCATE OF YOUR BODY..
The problem w/Md’s is that people are too quick to ask for meds fore anything! Give me the quick fix. My teenage kids are kinda like that…just give me the pill so I can be all better. Docs are just responding to demand I’m afraid.
My BP depends a lot on which doctor I see at the clinic. The doctor who believes everybody over sixty should be on medication no matter what always records high readings. Another one, no matter what, always says it is 150/90, like the very first reading she has ever taken. With the third doctor it is always in the mid 130s/75, so I am seeing that one now and hope for the best.
Meds……..who take em anyway! You will live much longer wiht HBP than you will with normal and on meds. That of course depends on how high it is. You can go over the “norm” and be GREAT! Meds MAKE MONEY, live it, learn it.
I see my dr. this afternoon re my BP meds He put me on mds when I had a reading of 144/85 in his office. Wanted to get me down to 120/80 My readings at home are usually btween 122-125/ 75-80 and can go to 133-136 in the afternoon or evening.I really think this is normal for my age of 85. I take 10mg of amlodipine and aso a diurectic Tram/hctz I have been on these for about a year now and I don’t see any difference in my readings. I have been having a lot of insomnia lately in the past 4 mnos. and I think it’s a side effect from the meds. I intend to tell my dr. I want OFF of them. we will see what he says. I agree with you very much Alexia