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What Do My BP Readings Indicate?
Question: I went to sleep at 11.50 pm last night and woke at 1.50am and took my blood pressure.I didn’t rise out of bed - my blood pressure monitor was at the side of the bed - Blood pressure reading was 121/101 pulse was 82
I took two further readings at 7.45am 109/62 pulse 68 and at 9.15 am 124/74 pulse 94
Does these blood pressure and pulse readings seem normal?
I have low iron stores at present 7 and have been feeling unwell.My haemoglobin is normal.
I have been on a chewable iron supplement with folic for 14 months and eat lots of greens in my diet.
I have an ulcer in my bowel and have Oesophagitis Los Angela’s grade b - I am on Pantoprazole 20 mg daily to treat the oesophaghitis.
I took two further readings at 7.45am 109/62 pulse 68 and at 9.15 am 124/74 pulse 94
Does these blood pressure and pulse readings seem normal?
I have low iron stores at present 7 and have been feeling unwell.My haemoglobin is normal.
I have been on a chewable iron supplement with folic for 14 months and eat lots of greens in my diet.
I have an ulcer in my bowel and have Oesophagitis Los Angela’s grade b - I am on Pantoprazole 20 mg daily to treat the oesophaghitis.
Brief Answer:
The values are not worrisome but please see the detailed explanation on it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at healthcaremagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
Related to your blood pressure measurements, the last two are normal (109/62 and 124/74), the first one (121/101) the second value is a bit high as it is very close to the higher value and also over 90. Still because the other values are normal I would suggest that this is a measurement mistake. The electronic blood pressure machines even though they are very convenient as they are easy to use and do not need much expertise they have the downside that they may loose accuracy and need regular calibration with a mercury one every 2 years. Also if a measurement is abnormal it is good to confirm with another one or two within 10-15 minutes and make the average of the measurements to get the best value.
Your pulse is within normal limits all the times as it should read within 60-100 per minute and all 3 values you have are within that range.
If you are having bleeding from the bowel, it totally can explain why your iron stores are low and you need to take oral iron to build those stores. The fact that hemoglobin is normal is a good sign, it means you don't have not developed anemia and normally you should not have symptoms related to anemia (weakness, headaches, short of breath, fatigue, paleness, increased heart rate, etc).
To conclude i would say:
1. your blood pressure measurements generally seem well and the one that seems a bit abnormal is better explained with measurement bias due to the rest 2 being normal. Pulse is good also.
2. if you don't have any weakness, headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue, increased heart rate than there is nothing to worry of anemia (even though you have low iron stores) and no worries of the blood pressure either (low blood pressure would cause some of these symptoms).
3. continue the iron tablets as recommended- it is obvious that due to the continual blood loss you have high need to substitute the iron you loose.
4. do the examinations the doctor has already recommended.
5. make sure you drink well and keep yourself well hydrated so you do not develop these symptoms due to not having enough fluids. You need around 2-2.5 l of water a day.
I hope this is helpful to you and answers to your questions but please feel free to reply in case more clarification is needed related to this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
The values are not worrisome but please see the detailed explanation on it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at healthcaremagic.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
Related to your blood pressure measurements, the last two are normal (109/62 and 124/74), the first one (121/101) the second value is a bit high as it is very close to the higher value and also over 90. Still because the other values are normal I would suggest that this is a measurement mistake. The electronic blood pressure machines even though they are very convenient as they are easy to use and do not need much expertise they have the downside that they may loose accuracy and need regular calibration with a mercury one every 2 years. Also if a measurement is abnormal it is good to confirm with another one or two within 10-15 minutes and make the average of the measurements to get the best value.
Your pulse is within normal limits all the times as it should read within 60-100 per minute and all 3 values you have are within that range.
If you are having bleeding from the bowel, it totally can explain why your iron stores are low and you need to take oral iron to build those stores. The fact that hemoglobin is normal is a good sign, it means you don't have not developed anemia and normally you should not have symptoms related to anemia (weakness, headaches, short of breath, fatigue, paleness, increased heart rate, etc).
To conclude i would say:
1. your blood pressure measurements generally seem well and the one that seems a bit abnormal is better explained with measurement bias due to the rest 2 being normal. Pulse is good also.
2. if you don't have any weakness, headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue, increased heart rate than there is nothing to worry of anemia (even though you have low iron stores) and no worries of the blood pressure either (low blood pressure would cause some of these symptoms).
3. continue the iron tablets as recommended- it is obvious that due to the continual blood loss you have high need to substitute the iron you loose.
4. do the examinations the doctor has already recommended.
5. make sure you drink well and keep yourself well hydrated so you do not develop these symptoms due to not having enough fluids. You need around 2-2.5 l of water a day.
I hope this is helpful to you and answers to your questions but please feel free to reply in case more clarification is needed related to this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thank you so much for your response- I have been attending my doctor due to feeling weak in the legs , light headed, cold much of the time, I get palpitations if I have to climb stairs or go up any incline- I am okay Re palpitations walking on the flat- my memory is affected also - I am a self employed massage therapist and can forget who has been into clinic that morning and when massaging whether I am starting or finishing the leg as it starts and finishes with the same stroke.
I have been monitoring my pulse at rest and it can be 110 or 107 resting which I felt was a bit high- normally my blood pressure is around 119/69 but over the last week it has been anything from 147/84 morning and at night 103/68- it just seems very erratic.
My doctor has written to my consultant who I am under Re ulcer in bowel / oesophaghitis Re an iron infusion as my iron stores are not increasing after being on the supplement (and an iron rich diet )for 14 months.
My mum took a stroke aged 56 and was hospitalised for 6 months- so my blood pressure and racing pulse does concern me
I have been monitoring my pulse at rest and it can be 110 or 107 resting which I felt was a bit high- normally my blood pressure is around 119/69 but over the last week it has been anything from 147/84 morning and at night 103/68- it just seems very erratic.
My doctor has written to my consultant who I am under Re ulcer in bowel / oesophaghitis Re an iron infusion as my iron stores are not increasing after being on the supplement (and an iron rich diet )for 14 months.
My mum took a stroke aged 56 and was hospitalised for 6 months- so my blood pressure and racing pulse does concern me
Brief Answer:
Specific test for stroke risk evaluation are recommended and a few others
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
I understand your concerns with the stroke risk due to family history. On the other hand to determine the risk for stroke there are a few more tests that will help.
One is having an ECG done- this will find problems with rhythm (atrial fibrilation) that increases the risk for stroke and if diagnosed can be treated effectively with tablets for the rhythm and also taking a baby aspirine will help reduce that risk.
Your pulse getting over 100 when you rest might be due to stress sometimes but might also be due to atrial fibrilation so having the ECG is needed for this also.
Blood pressure is an important factor but the values you mention are not of concerns especially if you do not have diabetes or important heart problems.
Checking your lipids, fasting sugar and HbA1c (for diabetes), kidney function test (creatinine and electrolites), liver tests (ALT, AST, Bilirubine), simple urinalysis are important in the general check we do for patients. TSH (thyroid test) is a good test to do if a patient has weakness and the memory seems to be deteriorated, it might also effect the pulse rate.
So please consider having the tests mentioned above if you have not had them in the last 6-12 months (ECG, HbA1C, lipids, creatinine, ALT, AST, Bilirubine, simple urinalysis, TSH) and CBC if the last one was more than 3 months ago. Chest x ray might be ordered by the doctor if the patient has shortness of breath also.
I hope this is helpful to you and answers to your question but please feel free to let me know of any concerns related to this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Specific test for stroke risk evaluation are recommended and a few others
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
I understand your concerns with the stroke risk due to family history. On the other hand to determine the risk for stroke there are a few more tests that will help.
One is having an ECG done- this will find problems with rhythm (atrial fibrilation) that increases the risk for stroke and if diagnosed can be treated effectively with tablets for the rhythm and also taking a baby aspirine will help reduce that risk.
Your pulse getting over 100 when you rest might be due to stress sometimes but might also be due to atrial fibrilation so having the ECG is needed for this also.
Blood pressure is an important factor but the values you mention are not of concerns especially if you do not have diabetes or important heart problems.
Checking your lipids, fasting sugar and HbA1c (for diabetes), kidney function test (creatinine and electrolites), liver tests (ALT, AST, Bilirubine), simple urinalysis are important in the general check we do for patients. TSH (thyroid test) is a good test to do if a patient has weakness and the memory seems to be deteriorated, it might also effect the pulse rate.
So please consider having the tests mentioned above if you have not had them in the last 6-12 months (ECG, HbA1C, lipids, creatinine, ALT, AST, Bilirubine, simple urinalysis, TSH) and CBC if the last one was more than 3 months ago. Chest x ray might be ordered by the doctor if the patient has shortness of breath also.
I hope this is helpful to you and answers to your question but please feel free to let me know of any concerns related to this.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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