250/160 range, as per ER records, prior to diagnosis & treatment. Very resistant to treatment. I remember reading that the highest blood pressure levels ever measured in survivors (e.g. those individuals who didn't die as a result of such high blood pressure) were much higher than that, in the 400 range. I think it is very rare for anyone to survive such blood pressure elevations. These individuals were a distinct group to boot, physically conditioned. Body-builders or sumo wrestlers, I think. I will try to find the info.
So... I ran a report showing my average BP for each year, including the minimums and maximums. I know that you didn't ask for this much detail, but I figured that my results might prove interesting.
To read the table: In 1999, the average blood pressure for the year was 146/92; Systolic Range for the year ran from 101 to 207, Diastolic from 64 to 124, based on 3,599 blood pressure readings.
My highest systolic is 258/110. My highest diastolic is 232/120 if I remember correctly. These are numbers while on medication no less. Also, these numbers reflect a stimulus/response reaction brought on by the numerous frightening situations in Drs' offices as I coped with a hyperthyroid condition.
My lowest systolic was about 88 & my lowest diastolic was 46 which occurred after having a double dose of a dental local anesthetic. I had to half my b/p meds for two weeks. Looks like I could get by on an injection of the dental med for two wks. Isn't it fun to play this HBP game . Just think of all I missed for the first 60 yrs of my life which was med free . Fam
180/110 was the highest I ever recorded. That was due to a very stressful situation. I remember reading on a webpage once, run by a former NASA astronaut and doctor, that when he was young he remembered his grandmother's blood pressure of some 300 over 100 "maxing out" her doctor's new fangled sphygmomanometer, much to his amusement for she lived well into her nineties!
my mother had BP that was always around 270/120-140 from the time she was 40 on up. medication didn't work well for her and she lost most her vision and also lived though an aoretic anerusym. She did die of a brain stem stroke at 74.
Last edited by mod-anon; 02-22-2009 at 11:57 PM.
Reason: removed quote
Here is some more info, comparing my average blood pressure between the hours of 6am through 1pm, and from 2pm through 9 pm. Blood Pressure varies and basically increases throughout the day for most people. As the day wears on, the blood pressure continues to rise. So, if you really, truly want to know about your blood pressure, you must take sample readings, and not just rely on one isolated reading.
The following table doesn't show the unusually high or low readings. They are buried in the averages, but at least you can see the trend towards higher blood pressure readings in the afternoon, versus the morning, which is normal blood pressure behavior.
...Year_____6am-1pm____2pm-9pm_____Percent higher in the afternoon
What I find most interesting is, when my blood pressure was at very unhealthy, dangerous levels, there were less differences between my morning's readings and my afternoon's readings. After I was able to reduce my blood pressure down to consistently healthy readings, there was MORE of a difference between morning and afternoon.
Total Blood Pressure readings used in this report: 21,956
Why did you take so many BP readings? I see your highest numbers and they are not alarming, high yes but not dangerously high as unhealthy long term.
From 1998 through 2004, my blood pressure averaged 147/91 based on 14,832 bp readings.
That means that every hour of every day, for seven long years I had virtually constant unhealthy levels of blood pressure, week after week, month after month, year after year.
During that time, I experimented with my blood pressure medication...... increasing dosages, weaning off meds, asking Cardiologist for new meds, etc., all to no avail. My health continued to get worse. My legs, ankles and feet were badly swollen. I had constant breathing problems. I had to sleep or watch TV sitting up, in order to be able to breathe. I was tired all the time, with frequent chest pains, heart palpitations, mental confusion, sweating, and general malaise, etc.
The heart results from tests at my Cardiologist were showing worsening heart failure, with increased thickening of the Ventricles and Septum; and further dilation of my Atrium.
Up to that point, I refused to diet, or change my ways. But...... I was really suffering and had little quality of life, or hope left, so I started experimenting with my diet, not thinking that it would help. In fact, when I first started experimenting with a brand new diet, I posted a thread here asking the question: Does an "Insulin Resistance" diet improve blood pressure? at link: [url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=242229[/url]
The diet had almost immediate effects on lowering my blood pressure, but the diet, alone, didn't bring my blood pressure down to healthy levels.
So...... I constantly monitor my blood pressure multiple times per day, and make changes to my meds, my diet and my lifestyle, any time that my blood pressure starts to trend higher.
As a result of my constant monitoring and constant changes, instead of being a basket case, too tired to do anything, and having to fight constant breathing problems, I now do 150+ pushups per day, 400 steppers per day, 250+ weight lifts per day, and power-walk one hour per day. At close to 70 years of age, with heart failure, I am now able to work on repairs that I've need to do to my roof. I very seldom have breathing problems any more and can sleep lying down! I love it!!
Also good news for me is that, after four years of very restricted diet, I have been able to increase my calories and the enjoyment of my meals with minimum effect on my blood pressure, and my blood glucose levels are at extraordinarily healthy levels.
With this type of a wonderful, dramatic improvement in my life and health, the constant monitoring of my blood pressure is a small price to pay!
I think its remarkable you kept such a record, and scientifically very useful. For those of us with severe BP anxiety, this would have been an exercise in abject white-hot torture...a therapist and my PPO both finally told me to NOT do what you did as it was pushing me towards the nuthouse. So I went into a weird sort of "don't ask don't tell" mode...not taking my own BP, and asking my nurse (or whoever took it) to not tell me the results, but to send them to my doctor and have him tell me if he thinks there is a problem.
I still shudder when I think back to what that BP anxiety did to me, including precipitating a year of heart palpitations and a general inability to enjoy life. I think as a consequence of understanding this, I am better equipped to handle a diagnosis of HBP when or if it comes.
But again, I am simply amazed someone can take so many readings and not go insane!
tamuprof45
Last edited by mod-anon; 02-22-2009 at 11:56 PM.
Reason: removed quote
... I still shudder when I think back to what that BP anxiety did to me, including precipitating a year of heart palpitations and a general inability to enjoy life. I think as a consequence of understanding this, I am better equipped to handle a diagnosis of HBP when or if it comes ...
High stress and anxiety levels can both be killers!
We each have differing solutions to differing problems, both relating to solving Blood Pressure problems.
Just goes to show that different approaches to health problems can be just as effective!
Regards, and thanks for the feedback and your interesting and effective approach to handling BP anxiety.
What I find most interesting is, when my blood pressure was at very unhealthy, dangerous levels, there were less differences between my morning's readings and my afternoon's readings. After I was able to reduce my blood pressure down to consistently healthy readings, there was MORE of a difference between morning and afternoon.
Very interesting indeeed! Any thoughts/theories as to why? Pulse pressure is thought to be an index of arterial stiffening and a predictor of certain problems. A lot of research remains to be done. It helps to keep an open mind. The results of any future studies might not be consistent with what is known today.
Thank you for reminding everyone about the huge role a diet plays in attaining and maintaining good health. You sound just like my doctor, who says that a good diet is EVERYTHING and nothing else really matters. You can exercise till you drop, but if you don't eat properly, you're wasting your time.
I finally figured out who you are...LOL I remember you.....Just to ask for clarification; you must have been having some troubles before taking all those readings, correct? I assume that your HF was something that made you take and keep such accurate records. I would think based on all the reading I have done on the subject, that an otherwise healthy person would have less reason to be concerned with an average waking pressure of 140+ over 90+ than a person with HF? Correct? I am not trying to to minimize the long term health effects of HBP, nor the potential short term ones. But, other factors need to be weighed before trying to medicate agressively, or shoot for the "ideal" 115/80.
When they first started me on meds, I got down to that "ideal" and, my body responded by raising my heart rate to 100+ BPM. Now, my guess is, that having gone from an average HR of 65-70 with a 145/92 average BP reading, is probably no more stressful on the heart than "ideal" BP with a resultant bump into tachycardia range, is it?
What I find most interesting is, when my blood pressure was at very unhealthy, dangerous levels, there were less differences between my morning's readings and my afternoon's readings. After I was able to reduce my blood pressure down to consistently healthy readings, there was MORE of a difference between morning and afternoon.
Very interesting indeeed! Any thoughts/theories as to why?
Not really. Blood Pressure Statistics, like those that I enjoy posting, are only useful if used to improve one's blood pressure, which I did. Trying to make some sense out of some of the anomalies can be a never ending, frustrating job.
Quote:
Thank you for reminding everyone about the huge role a diet plays in attaining and maintaining good health.
I've read many of your very helpful posts, where you are also a proponent of healthy diet, so I return the thanks!
Quote:
You sound just like my doctor, who says that a good diet is EVERYTHING and nothing else really matters. You can exercise till you drop, but if you don't eat properly, you're wasting your time.
flowergirl
It's refreshing hearing that opinion from a doctor.
I have absolutely no medical or diet training or education. I've just learned a lot battling several serious, life-threatening, nasty diseases, over the past 20 years. The biggest breakthrough in improving my blood pressure and my other disease states, was when I went on a very healthy, strict diet targeting Insulin Resistance, back in December 2004. The diet dramatically improved my health, and convinced me of the tremendous medicinal effects of what one eats.
When I first started experimenting with a brand new diet, I didn't know what I was doing, and I wasn't sure how much it would help, so I posted a thread here asking the question: Does an "Insulin Resistance" diet improve blood pressure? at link: [url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=242229[/url]
I don't think that many want to go to a demanding diet, like I did, either because it is too difficult to fit into their lifestyle, they are not suffering badly enough, or they just don't believe that it works.
Lately, I've been increasing my calories, and my blood pressure is heading back up. Since I am feeling and doing much better, it is much more difficult for me to go back to a more demanding diet. If my blood pressure trends up too much, and my symptoms start getting worse, I might have to.
I exercise a lot, I eat a healthy diet, I take, what I consider to be the most effective medications; yet if I wander too much off my diet, my blood pressure and symptoms start to increase. It has happened again and again. I increase my calories, my blood pressure and symptoms get worse. I cut back my calories, and my blood pressure and symptoms get better. Needless to say, it is can be very frustrating!
Highest blood pressure? For me it was 260/150. Of course, I was in the hospital and had 4 strokes at the same time, had strokes on my retina's, my kidneys failed, and I had a heart attack.
. Just think of all I missed for the first 60 yrs of my life which was med free 
I eat a healthy diet, 
I take, what I consider to be the most effective medications; 
It has happened again and again. I increase my calories, my blood pressure and symptoms get worse. I cut back my calories, and my blood pressure and symptoms get better. 
