High blood pressure

[Boswellonthesteps]

I’m really confused so hoping someone may be able to explain while I’m waiting for a call back. I attended a hospital appt yesterday, they had to take my blood pressure and the nurse commented that it was quite high. He took it again at the end of the appointment, this reading was 140/88, I can’t remember what the previous one was but that one was higher than the 2nd reading. He advised I get in touch with my gp today which I’ve done. They have come back to me saying that reading is fine and nothing to worry about and were basically asking why I was concerned. From reading online it seems that is quite a high reading so I have no idea!?

The 140 is slightly above what they would like but I assume they are putting it down to situational BP. If you are worried then buy a monitor and start tracking it at home ? Maybe your surgery has a machine where you go in a do a reading? Many do now and it prints out a slip. That is very borderline. I'm not a doctor of course but I have lived with HBP since 1997. You could ask one of the nurses at the practice to take it ?

I had the same - a high reading when waiting to receive results at a hospital appointment! To be honest I was incredibly nervous and stressed and I wondered if this affected it. GP is going to do 24 hour monitoring.

Would be interested in any views from HCPs. I assume taking blood pressure when heart pounding, worried about results etc will make it higher than normal?

Thats really not that high tbh. It's aimed to be kept under 120/80 so slightly over. I would assume a bp like that could be due to stress, was you in a rush to get to your appointment ? Even that can raise it. If not, I don't think a GP would be in a rush to put you on medication for that. Can easily be brought down with lifestyle changes. If you are worried, buy a home bp machine. Take your bp over a week, twice a day at different times of the day so you can get more of a picture. Note your findings down. You may find that it's completely normal at home, if not book a GP appointment. Nothing to worry too much about whatsoever.

They always assume it is higher because you are in a high stress setting. You don't say how old you are, as this also affects the interpretation of the reading. Blood pressure typically increases with age, so if you are 25 that would be seen as of concern, compared to a 55 year old. I also think a blood pressure monitor would be useful for you. You could then take readings at a couple of different points in the day and keep a record. Then you would have something as a basis for discussion with a GP. Anything else is just a snapshot of the blood pressure at the time.

I'm not a HCP but I have experience with this. Have a look online at white coat syndrome. It's very common. At the hospital/dr surgery my bp would always be slightly elevated. I'm pregnant so it was investigated further. I take my bp at home twice a week now and all is fine and normal. I suffer with anxiety and when I am anxious, I normally have a fast heart rate. Taking my blood pressure when I'm anxious can elevate it a lot. So when I'm anxious I can have a reading of up to 140-150/85-95. On the rare occasion it has been over 100 (diastolic). My normal bp when I'm feeling okay is 100-110/70-80. So a pretty big difference.

Sorry a bit more info -

I am 28, it wasn’t a stressful setting or anything bad. I was just there to have my implant fitted, I wasn’t worried about anything

That's borderline OP- not that high. Mine is usually around that and I'm medicated with beta blockers- ! But I'm 61. Before medication I was regularly getting 165/100 and on one occasion when I went to A&E as kept feeling like I was going to pass out it was 188/115

It's borderline high. But unless your BP is high at rest, I would not be concerned. Buy a £20 monitor from amazon and check it at home when rested (no caffeine, smoking or exercise in the previous 30 mind). Should be max 135/85 at home (adjusted down from the 140/90 max when read by a HCP).

Mins not mind