Blood Pressure

[Lorna]

Does anyone know what the current targets for blood pressure are? I thought it was under 140/90, but I saw another doctor today who seemed to think differently, what advice have other people been given?

[Harold]

Seems that it was dropped by some groups recomendation to 130/80. There is a post on here somewhere with a link.

[DeusXM]

140/90 is the general target, but for people with diabetes, a BP of 135/85 is the maximum recommended, given that people with diabetes appear to be more predisposed to heart problems than non-Ds.

I won the genetic booby prize twice so unfortunately BP is another thing I've had to get clued up on very quickly.

And people ask me why I'm an atheist :rolleyes:

[Lorna]

I think we all feel like that sometimes, but remember there are worse things that could have happened to us! Stay postive. Lorna

[lgvincent]

I recently read in Prevention Magazine that 115/75 is the maximum they are shooting for. Mine tends to run at 113/75 in the left arm but I've just learned it runs higher in the right arm and you should use the arm that has the higher reading and I don't know what it tends to run in that arm yet. Odd thing, when I go to the doctor's office, they put that cuff around my neck and get it real tight, like they are trying to choke me or something. Then after I pass out, I usuaually wake up in a field covered in a garbage bag and I have to . . .

[DeusXM]

115/75 as a maximum? Admittedly it's a **** good BP, but I was always under the impression that below 100 was hypotensile, and 115 is a bit close to that. I had my BP checked at my clinic once and had one of 110/70 and basically everyone panicked and they told me to halve my Enalapril dose right there and then.

[KLD]

I thought I had read someplace recently that the maximum blood pressure for diabetics had been lowered to 120/80, but I can't find that site again. The Canadian Diabetes Association site still says 130/80, but there's a mention that people with proteinuria should aim for 115/80.

Karen

[mg_2204]

... I was always under the impression BP is different depending on the age group you belong to. You can't ask a 50 y/o to have the same BP as a 20 y/o.

Marie
:)

[Lorna]

I was 110/60 once and was told that was too low

[lgvincent]

The figure I gave was from a recent revision, so things are always changing in the medical field.

[Lorna]

Things seem to change so often I wonder if anyone actually knows what the right answer is! Does anyone know, what are the dangers of blood pressure running too low?

[KLD]

I've been wondering that too, Lorna, because mine has been running very low. Yesterday it was 83/50. I feel fine, but it's a little worrying.

Karen

[lgvincent]

I'm guessing 83/50 is a little too low also. I have no idea what effects of low blood pressure are.

[HeatherP]

It can make you feel very weak, and cause you to pass out.

[hermitladee]

My husband is constantly at 100/60. And from my understanding of blood pressure, as long as there are no symptoms such as dizziness or tiredness, his numbers are fine.

I kind of wonder why doctor's try to lower blood pressure instead of trying to correct the condition that causes it to be high. It seems like they are always wanting to abolish the symptoms instead of the problem.

If your arteries are clogged, then the pressure has to be higher to get your blood pumped around your body. By lowering the bp it doesn't really solve anything, does it? Shouldn't they be looking harder at correcting the condition instead of the symptom?

To me it's like doing a blood test and seeing that your white blood cell count is elevated. But instead of searching out and abolishing the infection, they give you a pill to lower the white blood cell numbers. Kind of screwy thinking, isn't it?

[Lorna]

Never thought of it like that before but yea it kind of is.

[mike9876]

You have to take age into account as well. The older you are higher your BP will be and what is a range for somebody at 20 will be different for somebody at 50 and so on.