Something that I regularly hear from clients is that their doctor is trying to push them into taking a medication to lower their blood pressure and they don’t want to due to the very real side-effects (making you tired and lacking in energy). The question that is not being asked it WHY. Why is their blood pressure elevated in the first place? Who is defining high? What does that mean anyway?
Mom was doing a Lifeline Screening a few months ago and it came up with a high reading and they were making a big deal about it. My first thought? My mother has always had low blood pressure. This sounds like ‘white coat syndrome’ to me (that is were you have high readings due to stress at the doctor’s office and not when you measure at home). After taking a couple of measurements at home, it was her usual low.
Because of all the debate around this, I want to share with you a link to a good video by Jack Wolfson DO Cardiologist on “What is the Best Blood Pressure for Older Adults". His points are:
A reading is only useful if you take it correctly.
Is it a real pattern?
What do those numbers mean for you?
What’s next - and when will you review it?
Here is also a link to our Health Minute on the High Blood Pressure.
Checkout the New pacifichealthcenter.com Same great content with a new look!