# High BP



## EMTelite (Jun 24, 2009)

Well just went for my medical examination for my medical examiners certificate and everything checks out except BP of 150/80 guess its not to bad but I am also 19 y/o gah


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## Shishkabob (Jun 24, 2009)

Who says that's high?

120/80 isn't really "the norm" for everyone.

I am normally 120/80 exactly.  Others may be normal with 100/70, and still more 140/100.

High blood pressure is unique to every person.


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## VentMedic (Jun 24, 2009)

How much caffeine (coffee, Red Bull) did you consume? Sudafed or similar product? Nicotine gum or cigarettes?  Sleep? Nervous?  Correct BP cuff used?  Correct BP technique?


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## EMTelite (Jun 24, 2009)

Yeah I suppose just hoping its not going to effect my cert. Plus my BP has always been that high


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## EMTelite (Jun 24, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> How much caffeine (coffee, Red Bull) did you consume? Sudafed or similar product? Nicotine gum or cigarettes?  Sleep? Nervous?  Correct BP cuff used?  Correct BP technique?




And you have a good point there I dont smoke and I had no medications before hand but I did have a coke before I went and I am really stressed out atm about the job and everything so you know what that probably did ith34r: and according to the doc I have a pretty big bicep so thats another thing he said that could have effected it


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## Shishkabob (Jun 24, 2009)

EMTelite said:


> Yeah I suppose just hoping its not going to effect my cert. Plus my BP has always been that high



See, if it's normally that high, and you don't have any underlying conditions, you probably have nothing to worry about.


When we were doing skills testing final night of EMT class, they took my BP and I kid you not, 160/110.  That's what stress does to you.


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## EMTelite (Jun 24, 2009)

Thanks guys yeah I am not to worried about it, I am under a lot of stress right now with all these interviews coming up and everything so I think that is possibly playing a part in it


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## VentMedic (Jun 24, 2009)

EMTelite said:


> And you have a good point there I dont smoke and I had no medications before hand but I did have a coke before I went and I am really stressed out atm about the job and everything so you know what that probably did ith34r: and according to the doc I have a pretty big bicep so thats another thing he said that could have effected it


 
Most agencies will allow you to do a repeat or have a referral to your PCP since this is not uncommon.
Mellow out and stay off any caffeine drinks for 48 - 72 hours.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Jun 24, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> How much caffeine (coffee, Red Bull) did you consume? Sudafed or similar product? Nicotine gum or cigarettes?  Sleep? Nervous?  Correct BP cuff used?  Correct BP technique?



Vent, how does B/P relate to sleep? I am usually around 140/80. I thought that was a little high for a 20 y/o male, but.............

I don't drink coffee, sodas or energy drinks, Haven't taken any Sudafed for months, don't smoke (or use nicotine gum) Am not nevous, etc. About the only thing on your list that applies to me is not enough sleep. (occasionally)

If it helps, I also have a sinus disrythmia. Nothing major, but it speeds up and slows down with respirations. (The gal who taught our heart moniter class said it is fairly normal in young people.


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## VentMedic (Jun 24, 2009)

BP and sleep deprivation
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=sleep+high+blood+pressure&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

We also do research in our sleep lab on BP and OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).

Diet with high consumption of sodium or MSG can be a factor as are hereditary or ethnic factors. 

There are of course other factors that could be related to a medical condition.  When in doubt, get a complete physical and have your PCP address the issue.


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## JPINFV (Jun 24, 2009)

Linuss said:


> Who says that's high?



The State of California with their guidelines for physicals for commercial drivers. A commercial driver physical is needed to obtain an ambulance driver certificate.


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## EMTinNEPA (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm 21 and my PCP put me on lisinopril for hypertension when I was 20.  He is no longer my PCP (though for different reasons).


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## el Murpharino (Jun 25, 2009)

The typical EMS diet and exercise regime isn't very helpful to having an ideal BP.  In the military, if your BP was over 140 systolic, or 90 diastolic, they would have you come to the clinic on 3 consecutive days and get a BP check.  Maybe it's a one-time thing....maybe it's not


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## sdadam (Jun 25, 2009)

Don't sweat it. 

Actually the same thing happened to me last time I went in to get my Medical Examiners card.

Here is a little trick, if you aren't meeting the Bp requirement when the nurse goes to take your Bp, exhale all the way out, then close off your airway (like you were trying to hold in a sneeze or cough) and try to take a deep breath in.

Since your airway is closed no air can come in to your thorax, but the tightening of your diaphragm and external intercostal muscles will lessen intrathorasic pressure, pulling blood into your thorax and artificially decreasing the Bp reading in your arm. works like a charm, just don't be too obvious about it.

Ascultated blood pressures are pretty lame, and depend on a ton of variables to fall in to place in order to be accurate, skill of the taker, position and quality of the stethoscope, calibration of the cuff, ambient noise, etc.

All this has shown an ascultated blood pressures to have an accuracy of + or - 25mmHg. this means your 150/80 could be anywhere between 125/55 to 175/105. I wouldn't sweat it. <"Emergency Pathophysiology, Clinical Applications for Prehospital Care" - Samuel M. Galvagno>

This also explains why you always need lots and lots of blood pressures on any critical patient, cause the number doesn't mean as much as the up or down trend....


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## jtb_E10 (Jun 28, 2009)

My physician recently put me on Noravasc for my BP. I'm only 20 years old (however my family Hx completely sucks). He thought my BP was so high due to the amount caffeine I drank at the time....I winged off the caffeine a bit and my BP has been a lot better and my doc took me off the meds. If you drink a lot of caffeine try cutting back a bit and see if that helps it.


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## wyoskibum (Jun 30, 2009)

Ask them to do a manual BP (ascultated) if they use an automated BP cuff as they can sometimes give a false reading.


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## Sail195 (Jul 2, 2009)

I have had issues with my bp over the past year and im only 23... but alot of it is due to the fact that i haven't been running any moreeeee so more exercise it is says the doc lol


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## rhan101277 (Jul 2, 2009)

el Murpharino said:


> The typical EMS diet and exercise regime isn't very helpful to having an ideal BP.  In the military, if your BP was over 140 systolic, or 90 diastolic, they would have you come to the clinic on 3 consecutive days and get a BP check.  Maybe it's a one-time thing....maybe it's not



Bet they don't worry much about your blood pressure when you are getting shot at and in a war zone in combat.


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## TransportJockey (Jul 2, 2009)

My last BP was high for my normal due to lack of sleep, over doing it on caffinated products, and being dehydrated


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## LucidResq (Jul 2, 2009)

Speaking of high BP, I had another random, transient episode of hypertension that is completely unexplainable. I'm sure some of you remember me discussing this last year.

Usually run 100-110 over 60-70, have for years. Suddenly started running 140-150 over 90-100 for 2 weeks last year and had palpitations without any lifestyle changes, meds, nothing. Had a full work-up by my PCP and a cardiologist, who told me to see a nephrologist (never did). EKG showed a PR interval that was very close to being short enough to meet diagnostic criteria for WPW. Bloods, stress echo/ekg all normal. Microalbumin in urine. BP went back down to normal as suddenly as it went up without any intervention.

Had another episode a few weeks ago that lasted a few days. Back down to normal again. Seriously, no changes in lifestyle, diet, stress. I don't drink caffeine. Nothing. 

Anywho...


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## Melclin (Jul 16, 2009)

I've had high BP for a while now, that seems to EMS study related. As alot of people have said, it's normal for the field, but that doesn't make it anymore healthy. My doctor is quite unhappy with my consistent BP of 140/95, for me who used to have very low BP, it was enough to cause spontaneous nose bleeds and splitting headaches by the end of the day (my BP rises as the day goes on). Diet and excessive changes seem to be helping a little. Deep breathing/quasi-meditation at the start and the end of the day seem to help a bit too.


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## downunderwunda (Jul 16, 2009)

Mate, thats not high, i was admited after having constant readings around 180/120. 

I was waiting for the CVA......


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## Melclin (Jul 17, 2009)

Well lets not get into a pissing contest about who's BP was higher. 

My point was that it doesn't have to be emergency high, for it to be a problem.  You don't have to have been admitted for it to be problem worth doing something about in the short term.


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## rescue99 (Jul 17, 2009)

EMT Elite, 
Nervous much?? Since the diastolic is normal I'd guess nerves have a role in the 150. Wait 15 minutes and recheck it...bet it drops to normal.


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## piranah (Jul 17, 2009)

your a paramedic student....welcome to the world of stress effecting your overall health...happened to me too man don't worry...just take time to relax and unwind...


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## Kage (Aug 5, 2009)

It's important to remember that BP is an EXTREMELY variable vital sign and by design is very responsive to outside influences (mood, activity, diet, anxiety level...). What floors me sometimes is how clinicians sometimes forget that and treat it as something static like weight for instance. 

Getting one BP in the office is just a snapshot at one instant of what your BP is at that particular moment. If you are nervous (see white coat hypertension), were late for your appt and ran up the stairs or just finished some KFC, your BP is going to be artificially high and no clinician should make treatment decisions from that.

You should ask your physician about an ambulatory blood pressure test. It's a wearable device you take home that tracks your BP for 24 hours. It's important to see what your BP does while you sleep before anyone makes treatment decisions.

You'll probably find that you are part of the 30% of us who are white coat hypertensive and you don't need any treatment.


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## Ridryder911 (Aug 5, 2009)

Here is more information on how to take an accurate blood pressure. 



http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=4336&highlight=accurate+blood+pressure


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## EMTzimp (Aug 6, 2009)

Dont sweat it


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## rhan101277 (Aug 7, 2009)

Well before I was on treatment for anxiety.  During an attack my blood pressure would go up to 170/120.  I hope I didn't weaken any blood vessels, or maybe I tested them really good .

The doctor explained to me than high blood pressure in incidents of stress is normal, this was way before I knew any EMS stuff.  Otherwise we would have all died running away from sabretooth tigers and mammoths.


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## surub (Aug 7, 2009)

Well dude BP really depends on the type of person you're taking it from. I mean the person can have a history of high BP which would be normal for him, but not normal for others.

BP is unique to every person.


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