What happened with my blood pressure? (dentist, arm, doctor, heart)

[songinthewind7]

My blood pressure is normal but today I went to the dentist for a cleaning and my BP was 117/89.
The hygienist didn't think it was bad but I thought the second number was high.
Maybe she took it wrong or maybe I'm carrying a little more stress right now than usual.
Has this ever happened to anyone?

[karen_s]

Sounds like "white coat hypertension" to me. My dad has it - I do monitor his BP at home because he has several risk factors, and the home readings are always fine.

Even though this was one isolated reading, if you could have yours checked outside of a formal office setting, that would be good for reassurance. Also, be sure they are using the correct cuff size for your arm. A "regular" cuff on the arm of a larger person can also give an inflated measurement.

Hope that helps!

[eddiek]

Blood pressures always elevates in the presence of an office setting. Unless this is a consistent thing, don't worry about it. It is simply the body's way of demonstrating that it is uncomfortable.

If you are concerned- see your physician.

Personally, with one reading on one visit- I would pass it by.

[wolfeyes]

Yikes you sound like your over stressed.. 117/89 is Normal.. If your higher number was over 140 and lower number was 100 or above..or if just your lower number was 100 or above... I would be concerned but you don't have anything to worry about. Besides when you Worry, or get Excited, even walking/ruinning elevates your blood pressure. (Even DRIVING can elevate your bp) then you have cause to worry.. but for now I'd say you will be ok. You can contact your doctor by phone and they will tell you the samething.. Oh and NO I am not a doctor or anything like that but My husband has had 3 heart attacks and the doctor showed me exactly how to check his BP and what to watch for..
And one more thing.. Why would your Dentist check you blood pressure anyways?? I have never heard of this.. Dentist here don't do that specially not for a cleaning.

[recycled]

I have a blood pressure monitor device at home that is supposed to be fairly accurate. I take BP occasionally while sitting very relaxed in a chair that supports my entire body. If I was at a dentist office, that is not where I would want them to check BP. First of all, I'm going to be tense. Second of all, I walk several blocks to the office and that will change the reading. Third, is the person at the dentist office really trained to take BP, do they know all the things that can cause BP to go up and down? I doubt it.

[Mattie Jo]

it is white coat hypertension. i have had doctors tell me that i need to be on b/p medicine, but i refused, because whenever i went back to my regular doctor that i had known for years my b/p was normal. then one day i was in the emergency room and my b/p was normal. i wanted the guy to leave the b/p thingie on and have it check every 15 minutes. After being there for 9 hours I had two doctors come into the room and my b/p shot up. what was strange was i never felt an emotional reaction to the doctor that entered the room. as soon as he left it went down. i think a of people are on b/p medicine that don't need to be.

[eddiek]

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.

Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are written one above or before the other. A reading of

120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure
140/90 or higher is high blood pressure

Between120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number is prehypertension.

Again, your pressures can vary, depending upon what you are doing, and if you are excited or nervous about something. Unless this becomes a routine reading for you, I ould not worry.

[songinthewind7]

Thanks to you all for your input on this.
The only time I have my BP checked is when I go to the dentist and obgyn and it's always normal so it's not just from being in an office. I've heard normal was 120/80 or even a little below that. I thought it was strange that my second number was so high.
To the poster that wanted to know why a dentist would check blood pressure: It's new to me too. She's the only dentist I've ever been to that checks blood pressure.
I'm not ready to run to a doctor and be put on meds (I don't take any meds) but thought that was a little high for me.
My eating habits are back to normal after the holidays and the only thing I can think of is that I'm stressed out about selling our house and getting it sold but that's something I cannot control so that may be it and maybe not.
Thanks again for your advice.
song

[wolfeyes]

Normal-- below 120 and below 80 below 120/80
This is what they call Normal also--Pre-hypertension 120-139 or 80-89 120/80 - 139/89
Stage 1 High Blood Pressure (hypertension) 140-159 or 90-99 140/90 - 159/99
Stage 2 High Blood Pressure (hypertension) 160+ or 100 + 160/100 +

Average Blood Pressure

For young people – 120/80 mmHg
For old people – 140/90 mmHg