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What Does The Following BO Reading Indicate?
Question: I just got a blood pressure cuff and my average reading is 16.6 over 11.2 - how bad is that?
Brief Answer:
My answer as follow:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that your blood pressure values are really high.
For this reason, I would recommend you to check with another blood pressure cuff (at the doctor) your blood pressure values, in order to be sure that your blood cuff is properly working.
If your blood pressure values are still high with another blood pressure machine, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests to investigate for possible secondary causes of high blood pressure:
- a resting ECG and a cardiac ultrasound
- a chest X ray study
- complete blood count for anemia
- thyroid hormone levels for thyroid dysfunction
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance
- liver and kidney function tests for possible dysfunction
- PCR and ESR for inflammation.
You may need to start anti-hypertensive therapy.
Meanwhile, I would recommend reducing salt and caffeine intake and perform a lot of physical activity, in order to have a better control of your blood pressure values.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follow:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that your blood pressure values are really high.
For this reason, I would recommend you to check with another blood pressure cuff (at the doctor) your blood pressure values, in order to be sure that your blood cuff is properly working.
If your blood pressure values are still high with another blood pressure machine, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests to investigate for possible secondary causes of high blood pressure:
- a resting ECG and a cardiac ultrasound
- a chest X ray study
- complete blood count for anemia
- thyroid hormone levels for thyroid dysfunction
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance
- liver and kidney function tests for possible dysfunction
- PCR and ESR for inflammation.
You may need to start anti-hypertensive therapy.
Meanwhile, I would recommend reducing salt and caffeine intake and perform a lot of physical activity, in order to have a better control of your blood pressure values.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
how are thyroid hormone levels different than normal thyroid testing??
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thyroid hormone levels is the same as thyroid testing.
Hope to have clarified your uncertainties!
Best wishes,
Dr.Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thyroid hormone levels is the same as thyroid testing.
Hope to have clarified your uncertainties!
Best wishes,
Dr.Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
This was a new blood pressure cuff and I was reading it incorrectly - 126/69.
However, I will wake up in the middle of the night gasping and will occasionally while sitting.... will have my heart start going "nuts".
The cuff (now correctly set for readings) shows my blood pressure dropping to average 90/52 when my heart feels like this.
It is also reading IRR
My Dr. want me to log the readings instead of looking at the cuff (which records it)
I think the cuff showing only 14 days should be more effective. I'm normal 90% of the time and then my heart flips out and my blood pressure crashes.
However, I will wake up in the middle of the night gasping and will occasionally while sitting.... will have my heart start going "nuts".
The cuff (now correctly set for readings) shows my blood pressure dropping to average 90/52 when my heart feels like this.
It is also reading IRR
My Dr. want me to log the readings instead of looking at the cuff (which records it)
I think the cuff showing only 14 days should be more effective. I'm normal 90% of the time and then my heart flips out and my blood pressure crashes.
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information.
You should know that IRR could stand for irregular heart beat and the fact that your blood pressure values drop during those episodes could be related to a cardiac arrhythmia.
From the other hand, difficulty breathing, can cause a difference in the venous pressure, causing a more rapid heart rate.
For this reason, I would recommend performing respiratory function tests to investigate for possible sleep apnea (considering that you gasp during the night).
A multi sleep latency test should help exclude this possible disorder.
As your blood pressure values are normal, most of the time, there is nothing to worry about regarding your blood pressure.
But, considering those episodes of irregular heart beat, I would recommend performing also an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring to examine your heart rhythm trends for a prolonged time.
Hope to have been helpful!
Wishing good health,
Dr. Iliri
My answer as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for the additional information.
You should know that IRR could stand for irregular heart beat and the fact that your blood pressure values drop during those episodes could be related to a cardiac arrhythmia.
From the other hand, difficulty breathing, can cause a difference in the venous pressure, causing a more rapid heart rate.
For this reason, I would recommend performing respiratory function tests to investigate for possible sleep apnea (considering that you gasp during the night).
A multi sleep latency test should help exclude this possible disorder.
As your blood pressure values are normal, most of the time, there is nothing to worry about regarding your blood pressure.
But, considering those episodes of irregular heart beat, I would recommend performing also an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring to examine your heart rhythm trends for a prolonged time.
Hope to have been helpful!
Wishing good health,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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