Blood pressure

[Bibs]

I understand what the 2 numbers are but don't really get the significance.

 

What's the issue with the first number being high? I appreciate it means your heart has to pump harder to move blood about but why, and how is that bad? Also, if the second number is normal, why would the first one be high, isn't the second one more of just a measure of how much blood you've got in you if it's a resting pressure?

 

 

[jonwat]

High is bad because it can cause a burst. 

 

Once the heart has finished it's beat the pressure drops away until the next beat, if the pressure stays high for longer then the arteries may be clogged (like having new main bearings fitted & watching the oil pressure gauge drop slowly after turning the ignition off   ) 

[iainskea]

Welcome to the HBP team! I have a clever little pill once at day after a scary 185/135, which placed me 16x more likely to have a stroke! Now I am 120/80, very clever

No big deal, one little pill a day and I have never failed my aircrew Mec standard, crack on!

Iain.

[ramjet]

As John said, the systolic (should be the highest number) is the pressure in your heart when it contracts to pump blood around. If this gets real high, then there is the possibility of some sort of blockage.

The Diastolic (should be the lowest number) is the pressure remaining in your arteries in between heart beats. The lower the better as it means few restrictions.

I am fortunate that mine seems to be rock solid. The highest I have ever seen mine was about 120/80. I was crook at the time and under a fair bit of stress.

[slewthy]

As said, high pressures result in stiffening of arteries (and no other organs I'm afraid) and production of atheroma - fatty plaques aka furring of arteries. This weakens them - aneurysm; or eventually clogs them so much as to starve the target organ of blood. 

 

All the numbers are important - the systolic(higher) the diastolic (lower one) but also the difference between them  - pulse pressure. You can see that if you are healthy, your Pulse pressure would be in the region of 40mmHg. If it goes up significantly, damage results (dont worry about exercise, its meant to go up then)

 

A high BP or pulse pressure will also result in end organ damage. So, if you have a short spell of a high BP, through stress, etc, you should be fine but a long and protracted increase in MABP (mean arterial blood pressure) can result in damage to sensitive organs such as kidneys, heart, brain etc. Unfortunately, we have no mechanisms to tell us if our BP is high or if organs are getting damaged, until it gets rather too late.

 

The additional problem is that the body 'gets used' to a high BP and so if it then drops for some reason, (quickly), the same organs can get starved of blood, in relative terms. 

 

All in all, makes it important to know what your BP is, on average; lead a healthy lifestyle to reduce external influences on BP and if you are on a clever little pill, dont stop taking it!! Sounds obvious but there are lots of people who stop taking BP pills in particular, because they feel fine and their BP is normal!!!!!

 

Stay well, stay frosty people...

[Simon350S]

High blood pressure..... One can only wish.

Currently suffering dizzy spells cause by slightly low pressure and extra height according to the doctors....

With my salt intake you'd expect me to have high blood pressure!!!

[arbell9]

When you increase the force of contraction of the heart muscle due to the pipes being contracted it strains the muscle tissue in the heart causing enlargement of the heart and thinning of the muscle wall. Over time the heart eventually cant contract enough to pump the blood around and you get heart failure.

 

If my memory is working  high blood pressure can put a strain on the kidneys as blood is forced through the kidney filtration system at a higher rate.

 

Both these events take time to occur and the damage can be irreversible so correct high blood pressure is essential if you want to live a long time.

[slewthy]

Yup.

 

Its one of those things thats easy to ignore until its all far too late.

 

bit like a cam belt change 

[pete]

I understand what the 2 numbers are but don't really get the significance.

 

What's the issue with the first number being high? I appreciate it means your heart has to pump harder to move blood about but why, and how is that bad? Also, if the second number is normal, why would the first one be high, isn't the second one more of just a measure of how much blood you've got in you if it's a resting pressure?

so what was the two numbers

[Simon350S]

How can I make mine higher please?

I'd just had a super stressful week in work prior to me starting to have my dizzy spells so my blood pressure should have been reading high one would assume?

[pete]

are you pregnant

[Simon350S]

Maybe. I haven't done a test but could be worth it, my breasts are a little tender

[Bibs]

and swollen...

[ramjet]

and there goes a serious thread into the the pit..................

[pete]

dehydration can cause low blood pressure and certain anti depressants

[Simon350S]

Tick tick tick.....

Rarely enough to drink, although been drinking plenty today and huge headache all day, properly thumping...

Sertreline for the fcuked up head shit....

Cocodamol 2 x 30/500 at night to settle anxiety and stress from working two jobs daily and head constantly racing....

[iainskea]

A trip to the Doc Simon, some blood tests and a 'stress' assessment. The blood tests should pick up something specific they can treat, while the stress assessment can talk you though some management strategies. Just giving yourself the time to see a Doc is good self-management.

[Simon350S]

Blood test booked for 9:55am tomorrow, currently on the sick due to flaking out on the weekend and in work again in Monday!

Can't remember the last time I felt bad enough to call the doctors from work and head straight there! Think the blood test is purely for diabetes though but will ask if more can be checked for.

As far as stress goes, I have a full time job in a place where bullying and harassment is rife with me currently being the focus of everyone's negative energy and HR involved in trying to sort the problem out, suspensions happening, me being threatened with being beaten up and certain staff naming all the ants in the restroom Simon so they can kill them with a teaspoon whilst making one of a thousand cups of coffee a day and feel some sense of twisted pleasure!

Along side that I'm trying to run and grow a business which some weeks is full time as well so I'm working qute regularly 8:30am - 10:30pm return home, with meals fitted in where possible mostly from Greggs.

In my spare time I'm now involved in a 12 month charity driving club challenge.... http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/67725-introducing-the-le-mons-365-challenge/?hl=lemons#entry524867

Oh that and managing 2 rental properties and their maintenance.....

I should be close to a stroke or totalheart failure by now but instead I have low blood pressure which means if every stand up even remotely quick I'm left spinning and having to sit straight back down again!!!

Apart from that I'm pretty tickedy boo....!

Edited August 20, 2014 by Simon350S

[andydclements]

I've just gone on Beta Blockers for migraine control, before that my low reading was triple figures and the high was in the higher end of 100-200 range, 

[iainskea]

Hey Simon, it sounds like your plate is overflowing at the moment, which is one thing to note: it is just at the moment, things inevitable improve. Your body is a great meter for saying 'just freaking pause for a second'!

Harassment and bullying is so very very distructive and is a direct cause of both physical and emotional health issues, you have every right to demand an end to it. There aren't too many workplaces out there these days that will tolerate abuse and will swiftly remove it, Well done on your choice to deal with it.

Once that is back under control, you should be free to enjoy the busy life you have forged, keep going!

Iain

[Simon350S]

So my fairly normal day has just been turned upside down!

Had bloods taken this morning following my dizzy spells over the last week and subsequent low blood pressure test.

Have just got off the phone to the doctor who has called me urgently asking several odd questions. Turns out I'm borderline stroke or heart attack fairly imminently unless something is corrected in my life although that can't fathom quite what. Starting with an immediate medication change as of today.

Signed off work for the next couple of weeks.....

None of this really makes any sense to me at the moment so will try and digest it a bit letter (excuse the pun!)

Low blood pressure...... That's been pretty constant for the last few years

Cholesterol at last test a couple of years back, 5.1 and I was very overweight, ideal below 5. Currently a lot healthier and not drinking but running @ 16.6.....!!!!

Triglyceride levels currently @ 20.3, should be under 2.2....!!!!

Hopefully I'll not die this year as I've got quite a bit on and it would be very inconvenient....

Maybe I should write a will just incase?

Off to the docs, see you later. Maybe!

[arbell9]

Are you having a liver function test done on the bloods?

[Simon350S]

No idea mate, it's whatever boxes she ticked but I'd guess that they'll be looking at most things now.

[molemot]

Good luck...welcome to the "We should all be dead" club!!! Long may we all survive....

[Simon350S]

I'm only 38!?!?

Think I need to start drinking heavy and eating excessive amounts of shit again, that seemed to keep me going well until then!