Blood pressure at doctor vs BP at home

[nothuman]

Does anyone get higher readings at the doctor's office than they do with their home monitors? I'm using the Life Source w/ extra large cuff that gets recommended all the time here. I always ask for the largest arm cuff they have at the doctor's office but I still don't know if it's big enough or not. I also don't buy that it's white coat syndrome either. They even admit that their machine inaccurately measure pulse rate as higher than what it actually is.

Anyone else have experience with this that can shed some light?

 

[mike036]

Does anyone get higher readings at the doctor's office than they do with their home monitors? I'm using the Life Source w/ extra large cuff that gets recommended all the time here. I always ask for the largest arm cuff they have at the doctor's office but I still don't know if it's big enough or not. I also don't buy that it's white coat syndrome either. They even admit that their machine inaccurately measure pulse rate as higher than what it actually is.

Anyone else have experience with this that can shed some light?

Every time I go to the doctor my bp is around high 130's over high 80's .they check it manually .whenever I donate blood my bp is low 120's over high 70's and they use the machine ,not manually .so I am guessing the nurse that checks my blood pressure manually is doing something wrong .

 

[nothuman]

Every time I go to the doctor my bp is around high 130's over high 80's .they check it manually .whenever I donate blood my bp is low 120's over high 70's and they use the machine ,not manually .so I am guessing the nurse that checks my blood pressure manually is doing something wrong .

What do you mean by "manually"? There's a way to check without a monitor?

 

[soulifter87]

It's called white coat syndrome...a phenomenon where people end up with a higher bp/pulse at the doc's.

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[fit2grow]

Does anyone get higher readings at the doctor's office than they do with their home monitors? I'm using the Life Source w/ extra large cuff that gets recommended all the time here. I always ask for the largest arm cuff they have at the doctor's office but I still don't know if it's big enough or not. I also don't buy that it's white coat syndrome either. They even admit that their machine inaccurately measure pulse rate as higher than what it actually is.

Anyone else have experience with this that can shed some light?

Yes. Actually when I'm at home its 140 and at the doctors its 110. Depending on the last time you ate or how far your arm is away from your heart when its being measured.

 

[nothuman]

Yes. Actually when I'm at home its 140 and at the doctors its 110. Depending on the last time you ate or how far your arm is away from your heart when its being measured.

So you have the opposite problem I have. Strange.

Also, is it higher or lower the closer your arm is to your heart? I haven't heard that one before.

 

[fit2grow]

So you have the opposite problem I have. Strange.

Also, is it higher or lower the closer your arm is to your heart? I haven't heard that one before.

If you have your arm closer to your heart while being measured it will be higher. Try to lay down raise your arm up and away from your body then measure it in a relaxed postion. My ex was in nursing school and use to do it for me when I first woke up.

 

[mike036]

What do you mean by "manually"? There's a way to check without a monitor?

They have the cuff with the gauge and pump it up by hand and read the gauge .

 

[chinaboy]

I have taken people's blood pressure for doctors for many years and every single person complains that their blood pressure is not normally as high as it is right then and there. This makes me think, yes, it goes up when at the doctor's office no matter who you are.

And mine always goes way high no matter if I take it the same way at my house.

 

[Kr0m]

Obviously if im at the doctor for a reason that is stressful like I think im dying from something, then it will be higher. Mine is always 150/100 at doctor, at home 120/70. But im an extreme white coat person

 

[nothuman]

If you have your arm closer to your heart while being measured it will be higher. Try to lay down raise your arm up and away from your body then measure it in a relaxed postion. My ex was in nursing school and use to do it for me when I first woke up.

That actually makes perfect sense. At home, I use the left arm so it's far from my heart. At the doc, they put it on my right after, which is right next to the machine.

So what you're saying is keep your arm away from the monitor/machine for more accurate readings?

 

[nothuman]

It's called white coat syndrome...a phenomenon where people end up with a higher bp/pulse at the doc's.

Sent from my Alcatel_6055U using Professional Muscle mobile app

Obviously if im at the doctor for a reason that is stressful like I think im dying from something, then it will be higher. Mine is always 150/100 at doctor, at home 120/70. But im an extreme white coat person

I don't buy this for myself personally. I always make them take it again. Granted, it's usually lower the second time but that's the one I go by. In this instance, I was at a plastic surgeon for a scar removal, not something serious.

 

[fit2grow]

That actually makes perfect sense. At home, I use the left arm so it's far from my heart. At the doc, they put it on my right after, which is right next to the machine.

So what you're saying is keep your arm away from the monitor/machine for more accurate readings?

Right. Just away from the heart. So the arm is up and out away from your heart and in a limp and relaxed postion. Just do this with the arm that has the cuff on it.

 

[chinaboy]

Come on now. Put your arm in the air and swirl it for a lower reading.

The idea is to get a reading and stay consistent so you know if the whole body blood pressure is going up or down. Meaning use the same arm and same position.

If your arm is above your heart gravitiy aids in the pumping and the pressure is lower. Keeping your arm above your heart will not Change a thing in your body and will only change the reading.

 

[soulifter87]

I don't buy this for myself personally. I always make them take it again. Granted, it's usually lower the second time but that's the one I go by. In this instance, I was at a plastic surgeon for a scar removal, not something serious.

In my opinion, it doesn't have to be for anything serious to warrant the rise in BP. My systolic elevates around 10-15mmHg when I have it taken by my PCP. And I'm around doc's every day. There's a study that showed anywhere from 15-30% of hypertension diagnoses were actually due to the phenomenon, as they were normal outside of the office. I think it more has to do with being somewhat rushed, anticipating a bad reading, and talking while it's being taken. Not saying this is you, but just food for thought.

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[Muay Thai]

psychologists would attribute this to "situational anxiety"

 

[fit2grow]

Come on now. Put your arm in the air and swirl it for a lower reading.

The idea is to get a reading and stay consistent so you know if the whole body blood pressure is going up or down. Meaning use the same arm and same position.

If your arm is above your heart gravitiy aids in the pumping and the pressure is lower. Keeping your arm above your heart will not Change a thing in your body and will only change the reading.

That's what nurses do all the time when someone stays over night. They will often wake them up grab there
there arm while the person is in bed and hold the arm while checking the bp.There is no swirl motion...

 

[Strunk]

I dealt with this a few months ago when I was referred to a nephrologist as my GFR went from stage 1 to stage 3 in six months. My BP has been under control by my primary care doctor for years and on my first visit the nephrologist said my bp was 192/114. Never ever has it been close to being that high even before taking bp meds. They had me come in 3-4 times a week for a few weeks to monitor it to see if it stayed high and it did...until a nurse caught why. Long story short...they were using the regular cuff size and it caused the huge difference. I also learned many other factors causes it to go up too. Supposed to be sitting down and back supported, quiet, arm elevated in line with the heart, etc.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

I've had white coat syndrome since with was a kid. I almost always have high blood pressure at my doctors, for years and years. When I leave and take it later or have someone else take it, , I'm always in normal range..

 

[fearfulsymmetry]

This is totally normal and a known issue. People get nervous in the doc's office or are anxious due to other factors(frustrating with waiting, worried about prognosis). My bp at home is always lower.