I think this is a very good idea...I was diagnosed with high BP as well as type 2 diabetes and was immediately put on meds to control both, as my BP was 160/90 at the time. The other thing I'd like to see taken into consideration when determining uncontrolled blood pressure is the higher BP that most people I know (including me) get when you are at the doctor's office, clinic, hospital, etc. Let's face it, most of us are not relaxed when we are having a medical appointment, and this can affect your BP readings...my BP readings at home are always lower than at the doctor's office because I feel more relaxed at home. I try to arrive early enough for my appointment (about 10-15 min.) so that I can relax a little from the stress of getting there in the first place, but the BP reading there is always higher than the one I take at home.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
I can think of a problem with determining BP. I have found that my BP can vary from within normal limits to having the systolic above normal limits on the same dose of BP medication. In fact, when I do self BP readings I can have normal pressure in one arm and high systolic pressure in the other arm. Because the distolic pressure remains in th 60-70 range a physician could be reluctant to increase medication. I wonder how many patients in the statistics gathered for this report have situations that make the treatment less than straight-forward. Of course this is no excuse for ignore obvious hypertension, but maybe controlling BP is not as simple as many have thought.