Okay, this isn't a super serious thread, I'm just curious. For an estimate of how worried I am, I got these results from the old folks' machine in the Wal-Mart pharmacy.
Anyhow, I'm pretty good shape, better than just about everyone I know other than straight up athletes. I work out at least 2-3 times a week and follow a fairly strict diet. But the other night at Wal-Mart me and one of my buddies were messing around with the blood pressure/heart rate machine, he's in average shape I would say, but not near the shape I'm in. Not the he couldn't be or anything like that, he just doesn't care about it as much as I do. Anyhow, his blood pressure was pretty much perfect, and his RHR was in the mid 60s I believe.
My blood pressure however, was pretty messed up. The first number was pretty high, and the second was pretty low. Does 140s over 60s sound reasonable? I don't quite remember it exactly, but that's what I think it was. My RHR was like 79. That's terrible, especially compared to what I thought it would/should have been. The only things I can think of is that I have a family history of high blood pressure, and that sometimes I tend to be kind of high strung, especially since the test was right before finals week. Or maybe the machine was just messed up, I don't know. Any ideas? Thanks.
You cant go by those machines. The cup/sleeve on those unit are not one size fit all. For example: If you have large arms, and the slleve on the machine is small it will show an inaccurate reading. Most Doctors and nurses will not even bother to change the slleve for a person with large arms in turn, you get a high reading because the slleve is to tight. Hope this helps.. I;m not a doctor but i just happen to know this.
No worry
Well, I figured it was just the machine, but I assure you, the sleeve was NOT too tight on my arm lol.
Joey Crawford = 6'4" 195 lb.
Incorrect, the definitions hve changed this last year.
my resting heart rate is about 80 or 90 bpm .... any idea what causes this or how i can lower it (i do 3,4,5 days a week of judo so my cardio should help??)
lance: i am not out to disagree, I am just familiar with the latest data: Systolic above 140 is considered hypertension now. Although I am an MD, I was a paramedic and firefighter in a truck company in NY before med school so I apologize if my response was rude: my wife is pregnant and I am getting less than usual, hopefully this explains it. Congrats on the cardiac survival rate, that is awesome.
Lance,
I think Howardo would put out the guidelines if possible, but its not very black and white. You need separate measures that are considered elevated.
But I personally would treat a 23 year old with a BP of 146/88 very diffferently from an 86 year old.
Pregnant women with BP of 140/90 with proteinuria is having a hypertensive emergency already. So I think there is a lot of grey, and that should be interpreted and recommendations made in person.
Erd0c
Thanks, cool