Blood Pressure

Health
1

I am 75 and am not on any prescription medications.

Last month when I went to the GYN my blood pressure was 130 which is typical, even though it was much lower when I was younger . So when I went to a new primary care practice today and the tech took my blood pressure I was shocked when I heard it was 170 which is dangerously high. So I mentioned this during my exam and was told that the machine read blood pressure is not as accurate as manual so he took it manually and it was similar to what it was at the GYN last month.

Did anyone else have an experience where there was a significant difference between manual and machine reading of blood pressure.

2

Sometimes, the machines are just off. They had trouble getting mine in the hospital because I was in a-fib and heart rate was bouncing around. I’ve also had medical professionals tell me that some of the home cuffs and many that you find in pharmacies and such aren’t very accurate.

3

I do take blood pressure medication and my BP is around 120/75. The last time I went to the doctor, they had a different type…it went around my wrist…and it came up as 130/55. They said it was likely because I was holding my hand higher than my heart.

4

I was told wrist ones are less accurate. Surprising to see them used in doc’s office.

5

My BP is always high in the doctor’s office. My son got me an at home one, but I never use it. Just something else to cause me anxiety when if read high.

I take a med prescribed for a tremor, that says it’s also used for BP

6

I agree. My optometrist uses one that clips on the end of a finger. It regularly measure 5-10 points less than the arm cuff. My doc recommended that I get a home BP upper arm cuff monitor. I measure my own from time to time and it is pretty consistent with with the doc’s.

7

My Dr has told me before that manual testing is significantly more accurate.

1 Like
8

I test at 150 with an automatic cuff.

Manual I’m at 120.

Everyone thinks I’m nuts but it’s consistently true. My cardiologist said he’s never seen that. Yet I’ve had other cardiologist I know say they see it all the time.

9

Horribly inaccurate but easier to use.

Cuffs should he a certain size, otherwise you get false readings. I suspect that’s why my reading are off.

I need a large cuff because my guns but most offices don’t have the correct size.

10

I bought an automatic cuff at CVS to test at home and it came in much higher than with a manual cuff. I returned it.