Health checks

[unc.si.]

Work are running a health week, where there's a kiosk on site where you can go and get BMI, HR, blood pressure and body fat %age measured.

Great idea and has got the whole office talking about health matters.

Most of mine didn't come as a surprise - low heart rate, BMI at top of normal range (25) and body fat 16% (in the healthy range but a bit higher than normal for me due to lack of training recently).

However, the bp reading did surprise me a little. Not overly high, but at 135/79 just creeping into the 'keep an eye on it' category.

It's one of those things (high blood pressure) that you can have without really knowing about it (and mainly that's why we've got the kiosk). Doesn't matter how fit you are, you could still have high bp without knowing it and it can have serious and irreversible impact on health over time.

Mine's no real cause for concern, but will be keeping an eye on it over time. Might just be elevated due to stress (my dad's just been diagnosed with cancer and is in hospital having surgery for it at the moment and I'm in the middle of building work / neighbour disputes), but might be something that could cause problems in the future.

How many people really know what their bp is. I didn't. If you don't know, might be worth finding out.

[Latic]

I measure it every five weeks at work. Come down a little since I quit the fags, may be a little higher than desirable.

Wouldn't necessarily say a Systolic BP of 135mmHg is that high really.

[Tricky Tree]

I'll pop across - actually, ignorance may be bliss for now

I'll get Mrs Tree to do it

[Surprised]

I never bothered about bp until I needed a medical for a work permit 3 years ago. The doctor was shocked to see it at 220/140 and put me on medication straight away. He said he had considered hospitalizing me on the spot as he said I was just a stroke waiting to happen. Medication now controls it but with checks I would never have know it was so high until it was too late.

[Latic]

My record for a patient in the back of an ambulance is 292mmHg She was fine in the end.

[Groomyd]

140/90 is considered to be ok

The high figure is as your heart pumps and the low one as it contacts

However the crucial thing about blood pressure is that it varies

To get an accurate blood pressure reading for you should take it a few times and you should have been sitting for a while, heart rate down and quite relaxed when you take it.

It may well be a lot lower if you take it again.

[Knulpuk]

140/90 is considered to be ok

The high figure is as your heart pumps and the low one as it contacts

However the crucial thing about blood pressure is that it varies

To get an accurate blood pressure reading for you should take it a few times and you should have been sitting for a while, heart rate down and quite relaxed when you take it.

It may well be a lot lower if you take it again.

Good point also a lot of people find the process of going to the doctors and having things attached to them quite stressful too which can give a slightly elevated reading.

[unc.si.]

140/90 is considered to be ok

The high figure is as your heart pumps and the low one as it contacts

However the crucial thing about blood pressure is that it varies

To get an accurate blood pressure reading for you should take it a few times and you should have been sitting for a while, heart rate down and quite relaxed when you take it.

It may well be a lot lower if you take it again.

Just been back up and it's 126/90 now, so the systolic has come down but diastolic gone up .

Will still be keeping an eye on it though, although as Latic (and you) say, it's probably not a cause for any concern. I have to go up a flight of stairs to get to the machine as well, so that might have an impact.

Not worried about it - just thought it worthwhile mentioning bp tests as they're not something that people often have done

[Raisin]

140/90 is considered to be ok

The high figure is as your heart pumps and the low one as it contacts

However the crucial thing about blood pressure is that it varies

To get an accurate blood pressure reading for you should take it a few times and you should have been sitting for a while, heart rate down and quite relaxed when you take it.

It may well be a lot lower if you take it again.

I think you may be wrong about the lower number. This from the Blood Pressure Association:

If your blood pressure is above 120/80mmHg, you will need to lower it.
Most adults in the UK have blood pressure readings in the range from 120 over 80 (120/80) to 140 over 90 (140/90). If your blood pressure is within this range, you should be taking steps to bring it down or to stop it rising any further.

I take tablets for slightly elevated blood pressure and my Doctor always tuts at my 6 month review if I go along with a number higher than 80 on my chart.

However the systolic number of 120 on the BPA quote above does look very low to me as a top level.

BTW beware of 'white-coat syndrome'. It's well known that taking your BP at the surgery very often produces elvated results due to anxiety. That's why I always borrow a machine from my surgery and do it at home.

Maybe Fekdrink can put us right.

[Surprised]

I take tablets for slightly elevated blood pressure and my Doctor always tuts at my 6 month review if I go along with a number higher than 80 on my chart.

However the systolic number of 120 on the BPA quote above does look very low to me as a top level.

BTW beware of 'white-coat syndrome'. It's well known that taking your BP at the surgery very often produces elvated results due to anxiety. That's why I always borrow a machine from my surgery and do it at home.

Maybe Fekdrink can put us right.

I bought my own machine a while back. They are quite cheap and useful for taking your own blood pressure when relaxed.

[McShanks]

140/90 is considered to be ok

The high figure is as your heart pumps and the low one as it contacts

However the crucial thing about blood pressure is that it varies

To get an accurate blood pressure reading for you should take it a few times and you should have been sitting for a while, heart rate down and quite relaxed when you take it.

It may well be a lot lower if you take it again.

The heart contracts in order to pump blood. The low one is actually when the heart is resting between contractions.

140/90 is not considered ok. Persistent readings at this level will lead to a diagnosis of hypertension.

[Groomyd]

The reason I quoted 140/90 is that this is the national target for GPs to get patients below in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Ideally it should be 130/80 or below but if you are over 140/90 you have high blood pressure.

Why does it matter? It increases your chances of heart attack or stroke - so if you are active, not over weight, have low cholesterol and don't smoke or drink to excess then it's not a huge issue on it's it's own. - something to monitor - best to cut down on salt.

However if you do smoke, are obese, drink too much then the risk factors multiply up

Changes in blood pressure are just as important.

I suspect that when unc takes it again it will be lower.

[Pasty]

Having seen this recently and having a suspicion mine may be on the high side despite 200 miles a week on the bike, I had a tootle over to our resident nurse. I've come in at 142/83 with a resting rate of 52 (Im 38 yrs young). The 83 im told is the important bit being the pressure at which blood goes back into the heart. Nurse said it was fine. 140/80 being a good reading. Not surprised at the high read given the amount of alcohol I consume whilst playing poker Hardly a tonic for low blood pressure. At least I know where Im going wrong....