Q: I am wondering what would be considered the normal range of blood pressure variation within a five minute span. My first reading is usually about 20 points higher than the second reading, which is done about 5 minutes later.
A: It is well known that blood pressure can vary within a five minute span. Because of this, it is recommended that you rest for five minutes prior to a reading being taken. This allows your blood pressure to stabilize before the reading is taken. See this article on the U.S. National Library of Medicine site. Averaging three readings taken 5 minutes apart to determine blood pressure has also been suggested as a more accurate way to determine blood pressure at any given moment in time.
(21 votes, average: 4.29 out of 5)
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I can take my blood pressure over a 20 minute time period and have it go from 149/80 to 122/70 by just relaxing and breathing deeply.
My question is, which is the true pressure reading???
Ziggy
I truly don’t know the answer to that question., and I wonder if anyone does?
Good question! I too wonder sometimes which is the ‘true pressure’ reading.
I was on a 24-hour monitor and one reading, during exertion, was 160/90, recorded as ‘highest reading’. My doctor interpreted this as ‘you have high blood pressure’ and disregarded the other more normal readings. She said with this reading I had to take medication! I now have a record of “high blood pressure.”
One of our politicians, a very fit and healthy man, recorded 180/120 during a speech, which was the highest for the day. All other times his BP was a very healthy 110/70. Surely he does not suffer from hypertension even if his highest reading is 180/120 once in a day?
I sometimes wonder whether general practitioners are really capable of properly diagnosing true hypertension and how many people may be on medication that may not need medication.
My adult daughters BP is disproportionate … in that her diastolic can be way up while the systolic is normal. (ex. 126/99) What could be the cause for this?
Thanks bethany
the obvious answer is – all readings are “true” providing the measuring apparatus is working correctly.
It is also true that our blood pressure varies considerably on a regular basis.
Usually we try to monitor the resting relaxed BP readings as a guide to overall condition.
By definition the ‘true’ blood pressure is “resting blood” pressure. Any doctor who diagnoses high BP NOT on “resting” numbers is doing malpractice. You should file a complaint with medical board. This woman is not a doctor but a drug dealer.
Is there a blood pressure medicine that does not cause swelling of the ankles and feet? That is a problem I have with most meds I have tried.