Has there ever been an instance when you visited your doctor’s office and discovered your blood pressure was higher than you expected? As a provider of healthcare in Roma, Texas, one thing we noticed is that most people do not realize their blood pressure is constantly changing minute by minute in response to mood, activity, body position, etc.
Simple changes can cause blood pressure to fluctuate between 5 and 40 mmHg.
Here are a few factors that can cause temporary deviations in your blood pressure results.
- Ill-fitting blood pressure cuff
Most blood pressure measurement errors occur by not taking the time to determine if the patient’s arm circumference falls within the range indicators on the cuff. - Cuffs are placed over clothing
The cuff should always be in direct contact with your arm to get proper results. Plenty of uninformed patients commit this mistake, hence the growing need for high-quality nursing in Texas. - Skipping the 3-5 minute rest
Resting and relaxing for 3-5 minutes before getting your blood pressure tested gives more accurate results since any activities such as exercise or eating can affect your systolic blood pressure measurement 10 to 20 mmHg. - Considering emotional state
Feeling strong emotions like stress and anxiety can cause major fluctuations in blood pressure. - Alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine (sodas, coffee, tea, etc) consumption causes blood pressure levels to go up. Health services advice patients to stay away from alcohol/caffeine at least 30 minutes before having their blood pressure measurements taken.
As you can see, even the littlest of things can cause drastic changes to the way your results show up. Make sure to watch out for these sings the next time you get your blood pressure taken. It may just save your life.