GP says my blood pressure is fine, Google says it's not....

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

My blood pressure has been high-ish for the last year or so. It's been noticed at several routine appointments for the past year or so, but I've always been told it's "borderline". I was sent home with a blood pressure machine a few months ago as the GP wasn't happy but I took the machine back at the end of the week and never heard anything else, so it must have been fine.

I had an appointment today for severe headaches I've been having recently and my blood pressure was 132/92. The GP said that was fine. Everything I've ever read says it should be 120/80. The doctor was so, so lovely and really tried to help but I can't help feeling that my blood pressure should be lower than that when I'm a fairly healthy 30 year old!

So.....who is right?

[Stormwhale]

132/92 Really isn't a problem. Yes 120/80 is ideal, but yours isn't very elevated at all.

[Nan0second]

132/92 is fine. It’s below the point where treatment is recommended.
Look at the British hypertension society guidelines rather than google if you would like some actual evidence
Your GP is absolutely correct

[JollyGiraffe]

140/90 would be considered 'high' as in needing to be treated.

If you are having symptoms of high blood pressure (such as headaches or dizziness) perhaps see a different doctor and ask their opinion. They would be able to do 24 hour testing to get a better picture.

[InternetHoopJumper]

Plus, if you excercise, such as walking or biking to your doctor's office, your BP will be higher. That's how it's supposed to me. Likewise, people who have their bloodpressure measured often are a little stressed, which again raises your blood pressure. It's also not uncommon for a nurse or doctor to measure it twice and in hospitals they will measure it often several times a day. Your BP is not fixed, nor should it be.

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

That's great to hear, thank you. I've had 120/80 in my head for forever as what it should be, so it worries me every time I see a reading higher than that.

[topcat2014]

I bought a home montior, not too pricey, and avoids the white coat effect.

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

Thanks topcat, I did notice my blood pressure readings looked better when I used the machine I was sent home with, so might consider that in future.

[ScreamingValenta]

My MIL swears by her home testing machine because her blood pressure rockets the minute she steps into the surgery due to anxiety.

[PinkDaffodil2]

Can’t really tell of course with just a one off reading - do you know what was it when you were checking at home or on previous GP visits?
132/92 is fine, in that you don’t need medicine, but at your age I might have used the opportunity to push for healthy lifestyle changes, as it might go up further as you get older.

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

I've never really kept track of the readings, Daffodil, just noticed that it tends to be over 120/80. I'm not worried that my blood pressure is so bad I'll drop dead right now, I just desperately don't want to bury my head in the sand and end up in trouble later on. I made some lifestyle changes earlier this year but will see what else I can do, thank you.

Thank you to everyone for your reassurance!

[PashPash]

Just remember, blood pressure is 'supposed' to be 120/80 in the way that humans are supposed to be 5 foot 10 tall. It's a textbook sort of figure.

Remember- everyone has a 'normal' for them. If you are female, short and / or overweight then it is going to be really quite different to that figure.

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

Thanks Pash - I am female and indeed a little bit short!

[PollyPerky]

Blood pressure UK is a good website to look at.

The top limit is considered 130/ 90 and anything over that is pre-hypertension. For many years, 120/ 80 was considered normal and then they seemed to move the boundary up. Recently there has been more of a drive to reduce it to 120/80 as ideal.

Mine is always around 105/70 and I'm in my 60s.

[PollyPerky]

It's not right to give false reassurance

pash that is not really right to say humans should be X feet tall. You can't compare these two things. High BP is the main cause of stroke and heart disease in older age.

High BP at 30 is def something you ought to work on by taking more exercise, reducing salt intake and adding more fibre to your diet.

If you BP was high at the drs it might be white coat syndrome. You need to take it at rest and not after anything energetic or having a hot drink.

[Thymeout]

My GP told me that if you tend to carry extra weight round your middle, that will increase your BP, because it will be pressing on the main artery running down from your heart. At your age, it would probably be wise to try to maintain your weight and not turn a blind eye to extra poundage.

[Ollivander84]

Mine used to be quite high and I was on tablets for a while when I was about 23 or so. Not sure what I did but it's now usually 120/80. Probably giving up smoking helped!

If you want something lighthearted after my spinal op, the next morning the nurse came to do my 7am obs (I was on 3hr obs). She was mega cheery as I was fine previously and I asked as usual "all good?"
I got a face of "do you feel unwell?"
Er, no, just fine thanks, why?
BP of 65/45. I perked up after a couple of mugs of tea but the nurses face she was so used to saying to me "perfect BP, perfect patient"

[NamasteNiki]

White coat hypertension? Or were you rushing to get to the gp?

I recently spent an afternoon in a hospital clinic having treatment. I was running late, cancelled trains.

On arrival after belting down the street, bp was over 140 top number.

Took it again before treatment and it was 122/66.

Took it again after treatment and it was 116/67.....which is a great bp to have.

My point is, sometimes when you've been worried about your health and have the anxiety of a gp appt it pushes your bp up.

I was stressed out when i arrived on the hospital ward but after Id been sitting there for a good couple of hours and relaxed in a comfy chair having treatment and was totally calm, my bp was better than fine.

[marcopront]

When I was pregnant, I obviously had my BP taken at every appointment. One time it was high, so they made me go and get it checked every day for the next week. It was always fine.
The reason it was high - someone had driven into the back of my car on the way to the clinic.

[imokit]

If you've given them a weeks worth of home readings recently, the GP will be using that as information about your current bp.
The home monitoring is more accurate as it avoids white coat syndrome and shows a pattern/average over a number of days, instead of just a one off reading.

[TheGoodEnoughWife]

I have blood pressure at the moment. Around 157/101 - high! And I have had to battle to get any meds. Even now they are unhappy about me being on these tabs and want a 'review' to look into my BP more - I am currently losing weight and so I feel the meds are just a short term thing as otherwise I am not a big pill taker.
Just would rather not have a stroke while I lose weight!