High blood pressure is a condition none of us want to deal with. The health consequences can be very tragic if left unattended. The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released new guidelines which lower the threshold for hypertension. This means that tens of millions of Americans can now say they have high blood pressure problems.
Do I qualify?
According to the new guidelines, anyone who has 10 % or greater risk of a heart attack needs treatment asap. The numbers could be of around 80% of Americans over 65 years old. There are online calculators which can help you check yourself.
Can blood-pressure measurements be influenced by external factors?
The answer to this question is yes, definitely. If a patient rushed the stairs to enter the doctor’s office, then his/her blood pressure will for sure be higher. The same is the case for those who just drank a cup of coffee or tea. There is also a difference between having your blood pressure taken at night or during daytime. Some people will have their blood pressure raised by just seeing a doctor.
Because no doctor would like to misdiagnose a patient, the blood pressure will be taken at least two, if not more times on two or more occasion. Then, by studying the results and making an average the doctor will give his diagnose.
So what if I have high blood pressure?
When a doctor observes high blood pressure, then the patient should ideally measure it at home as well, both in the morning and in the afternoon before dinner. Even those who do not score high during their visit at the doctor could keep an eye for a couple of days to make sure.
Also, it is important to remember there are supplements which can raise blood pressure such as alcohol amphetamines and more.
