They all give me different numbers, by a lot sometimes
btw you think they ever clean those devices?
you think healthy people go to pharmacies?
I won't even touch the signature pen, imagine what's on that
They wanted me to start on all sorts of medications immediately.
The second-last time, they got a reading of 220/130, and were going to get an ambulance to take me into hospital immediately.
Er, hang on a minute, folks.
That's beyond "hypertension crisis" and well into "incompatible with life" levels. That's the kind of pressure I see in hydraulic servo feedback channels, not living things.
They grudgingly agreed that someone with high blood pressure probably ought not to be making as much sense as I was, although what would I know about it, they're the professionals, etc etc.
The next time I noticed the automatic blood pressure cuff had a fresh new calibration sticker on it.
130/90. Not bad, for a reading taken at the doctor's surgery.
I wonder how many people are on medication they just plain don't need because of a plainly faulty sphyg though?
Maybe? Do they clean the shelves? Arm-to-arm contact isn't exactly a big threat.
> you think healthy people go to pharmacies?
Yes. Of course. Those free blood pressure machines are generally found in drug stores that have a small pharmacy section. The vast majority of people there are there because they're shopping. There are probably more people who come in to buy mascara than people who come in because they're sick. If you're sick, someone else goes to the pharmacy for you.
* those people would be considered to be in a hypertensive crisis, and sending you for emergency care would be the right thing to do, normally.
Walked into the ER because my Dr forced me too. After walking into and chilling for a bit. 130/70. $3000 later no answers.
So, it does happen to people.
Blood pressures at this level can be observed from time to time. It’s not an instant death level.
Getting multiple readings is a good idea, but I would caution against picking the reading you like the most as the one which you believe to be correct.
You should also know that there are some conditions where high blood pressure can be transient. Some of these are very serious (tumors which secrete hormones which spike blood pressure). Having occasional scary high readings mixed in with occasional normal readings is actually typical with some of these conditions.
If I had any measurements show up that high I would invest in a cheap at home blood pressure device. They can be as cheap as $20. Then I’d collect a lot of measurements over several days.
After one such episode, I decided to schedule an appointment with my general practitioner. They refused to see me if I didn't go to the ER first. I was pretty certain I didn't need an ER visit, but went anyway.
I waited hours, a doctor eventually saw me in the waiting room, and was never admitted. I think it cost $2500 or so, with insurance covering only part.
(For what its worth, I probably have this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordial_catch_syndrome)
Huh, that's interesting. That matches something that I get sometimes, usually after I've been driving a long distance or sitting at my desk doing mouse-heavy stuff for a long time. I put it down to poor posture.
It hasn't happened quite so much since adjusting the steering to track and centre properly so I'm not constantly pulling the car left away from the middle of the road, and raising my seat a bit by unscrewing the seat from its base, putting in about 8cm worth of wooden spacers, and screwing it back down with long studs and nuts instead of the daft wee screws, so it's not sitting at its "most extended" height.
I don't know, it might help you too.