How to take Blood Pressure

[ambersjourney]

Eek... Karloliina, I wouldn't want to see that Doc again! I can understand that their concern and the urgency of the situation would be increased if we have pressures laying down that were TOO high...but seriously who wants it to get to that point!?

[brianned5]

I only lie down at night as well, and I just want accurate information. It doesn't make sense at all.

[karoliina]

quote:Originally posted by AmbersJourney

Do not let them take your bp laying down! Like you saw in your experiment it lowers your pressures 20-30 points! This would be fine IF you were on hospital bed rest with a catheter. Never getting up. But thats not real life, you are up and about.

That's so true. I was annoyed with a dr the other day, because she commented on how my pressures had been fine taken there compared to my home readings. I told her yes, but that's because I was lying down there, and I'm taking them sitting up at home. She continued that they are actually interested in pressures in resting, so taking them lying down is okay. Now - nobody, not even her, has once suggested bedrest for me in this pregnancy, so WHY should I be taking them lying down? It makes no sense. I lie down only at night.

Karoliina

[brianned5]

Thank you ladies!

[ambersjourney]

Do not let them take your bp laying down! Like you saw in your experiment it lowers your pressures 20-30 points! This would be fine IF you were on hospital bed rest with a catheter. Never getting up. But thats not real life, you are up and about. It is even lower if they place you on your side and raise your arm to where you arm is above the heart- this reduces blood volume in the arm and thus FALSE lower bp. Also the left arm should be used... right arm gives lower pressures due to the heart being on the left side of the chest. Also if you retake your bp wait about 5 minutes this give the blood vessels time to recover and so that you get an accurate reading, (other wise they can be falsely lower). And of course as the link from the experts says, take pressure sitting up with both feet on the floor, arm heart level.

[sonja]

Here it the link to our experts discussion on how blood pressure should be taken...

http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=321

[babyemsmom]

Proper way to take BP is sitting down with your feet flat on the floor, arm resting on a table or arm rest. I think a lot of OB's make you lie down and re-take if it's too high...although I don't think it's accurate. I would ask your doc about it. Good luck at your appointment. Keep us posted!

[brianned5]

I have a question. What is the proper way to take your blood pressure at home? I've heard different things. Some say sitting up with your feet flat on the floor, others say lying down because if you have a high reading the doctors will just make you lie down to get a lower reading. When I take it lying down it is consistently 130's/80's, when I am sitting up I get much higher readings of 150's/110's. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and I'll discuss this then as well, but I'm just so scared it's so high. The pressures lying down are okay, but I want an accurate reading. I'm hoping they'll put me on more blood pressure medication. I'll be 13 weeks tomorrow, about 7 more weeks until my "critical" period starts.