Forget white coats. What about red-face syndrome?
Thursday 24th February 2011, 6:00AM GMT.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or Nice, says millions of people may have been wrongly diagnosed with high blood pressure because of “white-coat syndrome”, writes Peter Rhodes.
This is the natural anxiety that comes of meeting a doctor (although, given that nurses have cornered this area of the NHS, it ought to be called lumpy blue-dress syndrome).
Nice suggests patients should instead be fitted with a 24-hour blood-pressure monitor.
Let me tell you this. I have been BP-tested by doctors, nurses and by the 24-hour monitor, worn on the arm.
By far the most stressful was the monitor which goes off every hour, on the hour, with an electric pump that sounds like a loud burst of flatulence – usually in the pub, supermarket or other public place.
Unsurprisingly, the readings were high. Red-face syndrome.
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I am highly suspicious of this blood pressure fascination, particularly what the experts denote as “acceptable blood pressure” to which everyone should aspire.
Apparently in the 1950′s, normal blood pressure could have a maximum of 200 over 100
When I bought my monitor in the early 1990′s the accompanying instruction leaflet suggested it should be no more than 160 over 90
Then I hear on radio WM a professor – expert in hypertension – say it should be no more than 140 over 80
Who is responsible for issuing these ever lower pressures?
Could it be research paid for by blood pressure tablet manufactureres to have more people taking their tablets and increasing profits?
Just a cynic’s thought
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Mine is (currently) 160 over 100. It has been 140 over 85.
One thing I found unreliable was electronic blood pressure (BP) monitors. They ALWAYS give artificially high readings. Even my own GP’s practice use manual readings.
At the end of the day though, you have to look at anything else that may be physically wrong with you – and see if it is affected by your BP. Then it is wise to try and reduce your BP.
Having said this, exercise, reducing stress and a better diet is better than taking medicines. Lets also not forget the adverse publicity on the use of Beta Blockers, which are sometimes used to reduce BP.
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You’re right about beta blockers. I used to take those wich resulted in aching legs. I only had to walk up a flight of stairs and the back of my legs would be seized up. I then changed to Ramipril (ace inhibitor) which stopped the aching but had no effect on blood pressure!
Now I don’t take anything and control it in other ways. My policy now is not to take anything if you can get away with it.
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