Mandy43110 asked:


I had a Gesundheits Screening on past Friday and have I one gro

Technorati Tags: Blood Pressure, Health Screening, Medication

3 Comments »

1. 

   The blood pressure cuff cuts the blood off in your arm and then is released slowly until the docotr gets the first reading , then it changes again and thats the second reading.

   Comment by David K — November 2, 2008 @ 4:03 am

2. 

   ACtually, the cuff size can affect readings, but usually in the opposite way from what you have described. If you have a large upper arm, a larger cuff should be used and it should show a more accurate reading than the smaller (normal) sized cuff. This reading usually is lower than the reading obtained with the smaller cuff.

   What you may be experiencing is “white coat hypertension.” Since a nurse took your pressure last friday, you might have been more aroused than when you were alone at a kiosk with no healthcare personnel around. Also, the automated machines will differ from a nurse who uses a stethescope to listen for the sounds. If you want to track reliably, get your own machine and use it at least once daily. You can get it calibrated at the doctor’s office if you want to, but the more important thing will be how YOU perform over time on the same machine under similar testing conditions.

   Comment by jurydoc — November 5, 2008 @ 1:42 am

3. 

   The larger cuff actually gives a better (lower) reading in those with larger arms, so there’s been a major fluctuation, more than the numbers you posted, suggest. 123/84 is normal. That’s why one gets multiple readings before deciding whether somebody is hypertensive. And neither the health-screening fairs nor the kiosks are ideal, as both tend to over-read elevations. You should continue to monitor your blood pressure, but the one elevation is not nearly enough upon which to base a decision.

   Comment by W W D — November 5, 2008 @ 1:48 am

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