Blood pressure readings what is normal duration during the work day to evening and rest

[kpeters001]

Is it okay, or normal to have high blood pressure (160/110) for let's say three hours in the early afternoon doing teaching nonstop to rowdy kids and then come home experience moderate blood pressure (140/95) and finally rest with lower numbers (115/80 or lower). Is the rest what repairs the stress you had during the day. So in other words, the 115/80 helps to repair the 160/110?

[Happyrosie]

The numbers that are said to be “normal” assume you’ve been sitting for ten minutes relaxing.

Your pressure should always go up if you are active (otherwise you wouldn’t be able to BE active.

It’s not that the lower one counteracts the higher one.

Have a look at the website Blood Pressure UK for more information

[PurpleNDH]

I wish I knew that as well so am following with interest. I’ve been waiting for a 24hr test since last October but am still “on the waiting list” so I monitor with my own machine and get similar patterns to you.

I didn’t find the answer on BP UK unfortunately.

[kpeters001 in reply to PurpleNDH]

I did not find anything either.Im on Lercanidipine 20mg for two years and started Doxazosin two weeks ago. I have been experiencing weird side effects, which have made me anxious. Since my eldest son died four years ago I had anxiety for maybe two years. I had stopped having anxiety over a year ago but perhaps the Doxazosin has made it worse? I contacted my doctor surgery yesterday to talk about side effects and I mentioned all localized chest pains on my left side. She told me to go to A&E. I contacted the surgery again and they told me to go to A&E to get an ECG. I think its because the waiting lists are so long they are handing all cases to A&E. Anyway Im waiting for an uber.

I hope to find out which readings are important, why there is such a disparity between all the readings.

I am supposed to go to Bogota for holiday for two weeks and the elevation is 2.600 metres. How is that supposed to affect my readings?

[PurpleNDH in reply to kpeters001]

Oh my! I hope all goes well for you in A&E and that it’s nothing serious. I suppose at least you’ll be able to ask for advice on your trip while you’re there. Good luck!

[kpeters001 in reply to PurpleNDH]

You should read the responses from bamboo89 below. Great information.

[bamboo89]

The only readings you take which matter are resting ones, i.e., those you take after ten or twenty minutes of sitting quietly and relaxing. If you talk, your blood pressure rises a bit; if you stand up,it rises slightly; if you get up and move around, it goes up more; if you climb some stairs, it rises a lot more; if you go out and do some strenuous digging in the garden, it will be even higher. Your blood pressure meter is reading how much and how fast blood flow is round your body; if it did not increase when you stood up or talked or went upstairs or were stressed, you'd collapse and pass out, in other words, it's meant to be adjustable depending on what you're doing. Certainly, if you're doing something stressful, or you're breathing rapidly, it will also be raised - the reading you take when you're calm and still is the one to take notice of - if that's, for example, 180/100 and it doesn't settle and go lower, there's a problem, but you say yours settles at a very reasonable 115/80, which seems to me to be rather good. The 'benchmark' for resting blood pressure is, I believe, 120/70 or 80 in the UK; the fact yours is higher when you're doing stressful teaching for 3 hours is no surprise - mine has been 200/120 when I'm breathless with my asthma, breathing rapidly and shallowly. Just for fun, I once took it immediately after a particularly infuriating phone conversation with what is laughingly known as 'customer services' at my broadband supplier, having tried several times to get through and getting cut off. It was 200/110 and my heart rate was 95.... my body was clearly ready for a physical fight or flight, but a bit of deep breathing and relaxing and it settled back down to 130/80, which is about as good as mine gets these days, at my age. Think of blood pressure as more like measuring petrol flow in a car - the faster it goes, the higher the petrol flow, rather than in terms of 'repair'.

[Madlegs1 in reply to bamboo89]

That's a really great answer.I'm 75 yrs and have been finding various answers as to what is normal BP for my age, but find conflicting views.

Is there an official accepted figure.?

I read somewhere that 100 plus your age was a good guide.

Is there agreement on that.?

Thanks.

[bamboo89 in reply to Madlegs1]

Well the paramedics who came out to me when my blood pressure stayed high (according to my readings at rest) told me there wasn't really any such thing as a 'normal' blood pressure, merely a desirable one, which is 120 over 70 or 80. The danger signal is 160 over whatever number if it does not drop at any rest time, remains consistently at that level when at rest - that would indicate a person needs BP meds. Consistently higher readings than 160 at rest are more serious and treated as more urgent... the paramedics are seriously worried if the BP sticks at 190 plus...

The trouble with taking a reading and finding it's high is that we become anxious - and that means its not going to drop and may get higher when you take it again... cue panic, which makes it even worse. When my BP dropped down (eventually) to 151 over 90, they were happy to leave me, not feeling any need to take me to hospital - it slowly dropped as they were making the explanation I've just passed on to you... I'm 72. Certainly, for us older ones, our blood pressure is usually higher - mine was always 120 /80 right up till about 3 years ago, when another drug I was given for something else made it rise, but our arteries harden as we age and may be a bit clogged, and we produce more of a substance called angiotensin - all that matters is just how high it gets at rest.

This applies in the UK - America has a different opinion, they're keen on medication at the slightest hint of anything higher than 120 over 70...

[Madlegs1 in reply to bamboo89]

Thanks. That's very clear and reassuring.

Mine seems to be responding to Amlodipine ( 5 days) and taking things a bit easier, while doing more exercise.

I can really empathize with the stress role!!

A whole new take on life is unfolding before me!!😝

Thanks again.

[kpeters001 in reply to bamboo89]

Wow thank you for that!I got back from A&E. My blood work tests were all normal. I had two ECG s done through the day and both were normal. Chest x-ray was normal. But still blood pressure was at 158/99. At one point is was 147/98. I left when it was at 151/97. My heart rate was between 123 and 100 practically throughout the day. I read that doxazosin can raise heart beat. The doctor told me to get off Doxazosin and go on Bisoprolol 2.5 mg to start with.

I do worry about the elevation of Bogota. It's 2,600 metres high.

[bamboo89 in reply to kpeters001]

I'm pretty sure high altitude does affect blood pressure and heart rate, putting both of them up, and that blood pressure meds are not very effective at high altitudes. Have you discussed your trip with a doctor? If not, I really think you should...

[kpeters001 in reply to bamboo89]

Yes, I spoke to my gp and the A&E doctor. They did not seem concerned and told me to enjoy my holiday. 😜

[kpeters001 in reply to bamboo89]

I just posted this but probably should have directly posted to you.

I have given 20 mg of lercanidipine for two years. It helped (daily ranges has been typically for rest 150/99 to 120/82) but now for the past month I have had anxiety and my blood pressure has gone up really high for me (170/110 to 135/88). My heartbeat rate had been typically 120 light movement to 80 for laying on sofa. I have been placed on bisoprolol 2.5mg. It's my first day with it. Two hours ago after taking bisoprolol, my blood pressure is great 136/95 to 122/88. But for the first two hours my heart rate is 70 to 62. I did some moderate exercise to see what would happen. A month ago that exercise would pump up my rate to 139 and take 5 minutes to go down to 90. Ten minutes later down to 80. After moderate exercise this morning after taking bisoprolol my heart rate went up to 120 and two minutes later down to 67. I think it is getting close to dangerous and wonder if I should cut the pills in half?

Update three hours after I took my first dose of bisoprolol. The lowest heartbeat sitting so far is 63. Blood pressure is at 117/82.

[bamboo89 in reply to kpeters001]

Well I'm not a doctor,but I can tell you that a normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Athletes may have a resting heart rate of 40 or sometimes below.. Given this information, it doesn't seem your heart rate being 67 is much to worry about, it's within normal range, but if you're concerned, ask your doctor about it. I assume you would have had no idea your heart rate was 67 (or 120 earlier on) if you had not used a device to check it, that you did not have symptoms of something not being right...

[Madlegs1 in reply to kpeters001]

Make sure you have Diamox with you.

[peter999999999]

depends how old you are what is good for a 20 year old 120/80 or something ,someone older say 60 onwards could faint trying to get there bp down to that level,150/90 is good enough for most,mine was 161/90 at 61 years of age im still here at nearly 74 , us old ones need blood to the brain,what benefit is there for a older person with say 140/90 bringing it lower.as you age bp goes up. ive never had lower bp it was 150/90 playing semi profesional football, the only time been in hospital is due to colestrol lowering drugs, did not need and bp drugs.do it healthy way

[Madlegs1 in reply to peter999999999]

Thanks - very reassuring!👍

[peter999999999 in reply to Madlegs1]

my friends dad was a consultant he always said 100 plus age and botom one less than 100, i got let out of hospital at 180/95 said no problem, it depends what u read,which country,how much money they make by pumping drugs in you, i take a baby aspirin a day since been 40 doc said no good for you other doc says its fine if no bleeding issuse, id like to think im around 140 to 160/95 but seen as i dont bother taking it who knows, it stresses me out taking it and up it goes together with pulse,

[Madlegs1 in reply to peter999999999]

Great. Especially from a friend of a friend of a consultant!!!😝

That will suit me perfectly.

Also the news from another source, that blood glucose level should also be age related. So ,now I am not prediabetic, and can go back on the dark chocolate ( slowly) .

Thanks again, and may you continue in your interesting journey.

[kpeters001 in reply to peter999999999]

Thank you for your reply. I am 58. Female. 8.5 stone or 120 lbs. I'm not really active. I do 45 minutes of moderate exercise like brisk walking. Last time I was a bit below 120/85 was when I was in my 20s. Before being on bisoprolol (just lercanidipine 20mg for two years since diagnosis) my bp readings were 150/90 and 80 heart rate. Four/three weeks ago it went up higher to 170/110 and heart rate around 112 when I was just on lercanidipine. I went on doxazosin but the side effects were bad and the small weird chest pains sent me to A&E on Wednesday. All the tests came back normal. The A&E doctor switched me from dox. to bisoprolol 2.5mg. Now I have these amazing bp readings, mostly around 120/90. A few 139/95. But what's weird is the heart rate is always around low 70 to 55. Even when I exercise the highest it goes is like 120. So how low can heart rate go before it gets bad and I need to lower bisoprolol and see a doctor (I'll be on my trip starting this Monday until the end of August)?

[peter999999999]

bisoprolol is a beta blocker so slows heart rate down and dont think you can exercise much on it has it stops your heart from racing,i found it a vile drug,one of the worst but it brings bp down,

[kpeters001 in reply to peter999999999]

Yeah, the more I read about it the more I do not like it. It seems to be rather harsh and getting off of it seems to be a struggle for most. I wonder if as soon as I get back from this long trip if I can slowly get weaned off of it. Naturally I do it with a doctor.

[peter999999999]

i just cut it down slowely i was on 5 mg even the chemist new how bad i was on it and rang the doc