A few months ago a friend and I were in Target, and check our pressure on the machine there. Mine came out to your average readings, like 110/60...somewhere around there, with my heart rate in the upper 80s I think.

Since then I have been working out at the gym a lot more frequently, and have stepped up the aerobic activity to as high a level as its been in a couple years. I have also tightened up on my diet a bit though it was never really that bad.

I was there again last night, sat down to check it out, and it was up to 135/82 on one trial and 136/81 but with a pulse rated at 64 and 62 respectively. The machine says this pressure is in the prehypertension level, which actually has me worried a smidgen (not enough to go to a doctor or anything yet).

Does this make sense that my pressure could go up while my rate has gone down (I pressume from the cardio and being more efficient at turning oxygen to energy)?

1/16/2006 3:11:07 PM

it depends on ALOT of things. if you ate or drank just before the test, if the test was taken early in the morning or later at night. those two things come to mind right away.

1/16/2006 3:22:29 PM

did you have an extra shirt on, or a sweater or something?

1/16/2006 3:27:13 PM

Test was at about 8pm after Panera bread which included the Asian Sesame Salad, Chicken Noodle Soup, Tea, and a Cinnamon Crunch bagel.

I guess they say you should do it first thing in the morning before eating for the "correct" result?

Well, the first time I did it with the shirt on, and was like, hmmm, so I pulled it up and did it with bare arm, no difference.

[Edited on January 16, 2006 at 3:29 PM. Reason : x]

1/16/2006 3:28:49 PM

those machines arent all that accurate b/c of the factors mentioned and other things. hell if you're pissed off cuz you had to wait for ur prescription it could change.

did you just take 1 reading or a few and average them out?

1/16/2006 3:32:18 PM

Took 2 back to back and they were virtually the same. I think the oddest thing is my pulse dropped a fair amount since the last time and I wasn't agitated or anything when I sat down.

1/16/2006 3:40:43 PM

i got high-ish readings from those things before and asked the nurse when i went to the doctor. she said those machines aren't the most accurate things around. apparently the calibration gets out of whack after awhile.

1/16/2006 3:57:52 PM

The pulse dropping is to be expected if you've been working out. It's a good sign, a lower pulse shows that you have better cardiovascular fitness. 80 is really high for an adult, the mid 60s is much healthier. gg on keeping up with your excercise.

I don't know much about blood pressure but I know that it can vary the same way a pulse can depending on your mood, level of exertion, ect.

1/16/2006 4:16:45 PM

a bp in the 130s/80s is generally nothing to worry about, especially since it seems you are taking good care of yourself. it is highly unlikely that a physician would be worried about that. if we could get all of our patients to that we would be quite happy actually. even patients whom doctors are extremely worried about getting their blood pressure down (like diabetics) hope to get it to the 130s/80s. for everyone else who has high blood pressure they just want it below 140/90.

at any rate, if you had caffeine or anything like that near the bp test (even during that day), were stressed for any reason, anything like that can cause your bp to jump. it also could be that the machine was off as well (highly likely).

no need to be worried at this point. check it again another day. i bet it is totally different
~skip~

1/16/2006 6:45:26 PM

I've been trying to get my bp down recently--in fact, i've been obsessing about it recently. I can tell you this much: I've taken my blood pressure like a hundred times in the past couple of weeks and there can be a lot of variance in one day. You should do a few more times before you make any judgements about your health.

1/16/2006 10:29:58 PM

Isn't it the bottom number the one to be most concerned about? As long as it's under 90 you should be good to go.

If I remember correctly, my mom always tells me that 120/80 is good (she's a nurse).

1/16/2006 11:01:15 PM

mines always around 105/65ish

1/16/2006 11:16:35 PM

related question: I've had high pulses for no real reason (like over 100 beats per minute while my breathing's same as always) so I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to slow them. I've tried relaxation and that helps a bit, but only so much.

1/16/2006 11:20:19 PM

Quote :

"80 is really high for an adult"

^ exercise, get in shape. you're seriously out of shape with that kind of HR.

[Edited on January 16, 2006 at 11:20 PM. Reason : .]

1/16/2006 11:20:25 PM

the difference in your BP readings times your heart rate gives you the amount of blood your heart is moving. the first number doesnt matter a ton as long as it's not always really high, the second does and should remain below 100

1/17/2006 9:48:12 AM

Quote :

"Test was at about 8pm after Panera bread which included the Asian Sesame Salad, Chicken Noodle Soup, Tea, and a Cinnamon Crunch bagel"

dude, are you a fag
i cant believe you were giving me shit the other day you big pansy

1/17/2006 10:09:34 AM

get a reliable blood pressure meter. I wouldn't trust the ones in stores.

1/17/2006 3:54:09 PM

^^ Wtf? Would you rather me eat nails, drink gasoline, and piss fire for dinner?

1/17/2006 4:00:25 PM

Knock off the sodium. I imagine your dinner had 3 times the daily level.

1/17/2006 5:27:42 PM