My blood pressure is controlled with meds. However, when I lay down it can drop by 20 points. I noticed that the health care people in the hospital were surpirsed when I told them to take my B.P. when I was sitting up in place of when I was prone. They retook the B.P. and indicated surprise but never told me to take any measures like telling my doctor. It was just left go. But yesterday when I was into the doctor's office my B.P. was up because I didn't take my diuretic as I had an early appointment and that couldn't be done on the diuretic. The B.P. read 150/80. Later when the doc was in the room and I was lying down, she took it again and said "perfect". I asked her what it was and wanted to ask her my question, but the stethascope was still in her ear and she was talking to me and continued to talk and I forgot to ask her. Can you tell me?
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Q: My B.P. drops when lying down. Does this indicate a problem?
Yes, I can explain. But this depends on if you like to believe me or the medical community that likes to keep you on drugs .. Anyhow, first of all, BP changes when you lay down, Sit down or stand up. This rule applies to everyone. It also changes after you eat, walk or run. It constantly changes. If you think your blood pressure
without your drugs should be 120/80 when you lay down, sit or stand up, you are wrong. Even with drugs it should not be 120/80 in such positions, it should change.
You should worry more about the lower number, not the upper one. 150/80 is only bad
if it is constantly like that "IN AVERAGE". Taking you BP once and seeing 150/80 does not mean you should freak out about it. do if every hour in 24 hour if you like taking it so much and then see what is the average. But I tell you, do NOT take your BP with these silly electronic devices, none of them work right. THey specially make mistakes in
diastolic measurments. Use those devices that use mercury. ANother advice is don't worry too much about it, if you think too much, that alone will raise your BP. my best advise if don't ever let a doctor give you drugs based on taking you BP once or twice.
They must attach a device around your hips which measures your BP for 24 hours correctly. then based on those numbers they should decide if you should be on drugs or not.
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This is a perfectly great answer to questions that seem to cause a non-answer during a routine health care visit...
The true answer is get the 24 hour test done before even considering any meds if there is an unevenness to blood pressure readings. Even the sound of the cuff in an "office" can create the pressure going up...
Great, great concise answer...
Thank-you,
dwm, Ph.D.