# My son has dangerously high blood pressure. And will be admitted into the hospital tomorrow morning **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195 "2024-02-28T00:29:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/21 "2024-02-29T00:17:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Getting accurate readings is difficult. Besides devices being inaccurate or inconsistent not everybody maintains steady blood pressure. Doctors tell me many of their patients display significantly higher blood pressure during visits, even if they bring their device in with them. And mentioned above is the recommendation o sit still with both feet on the floor for 10 minutes before taking a reading. I’ve noticed this is largely ignored. I just the other day read an article on either Washington Post, about how in-office readings can be so screwed up that some recommendations are not to do it there at all. I’ve certainly had people say “Oh, no need to roll up your sleeve” and so on, and they virtually ALWAYS do it the minute they get me in the room. Not surprisingly, it’s a bit higher; I’ll ask them to recheck in 10 minutes and it’s always fine. > **[Why the best place to check blood pressure may not be a doctor’s office](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/02/19/blood-pressure-spikes-home-testing/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzA5MDk2NDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzEwNDc1MTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MDkwOTY0MDAsImp0aSI6ImZhYjAzYWMxLTZhMzEtNDA0OC05YWU4LWM3NjMzNDRiNDRiYiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93ZWxsbmVzcy8yMDI0LzAyLzE5L2Jsb29kLXByZXNzdXJlLXNwaWtlcy1ob21lLXRlc3RpbmcvIn0.LcaBb09DOgDE2_u2P56vlo5x_rDVoW7TgbLLgJYzI1c&itid=gfta)** > > Blood pressure often spikes in doctors offices, which can give an inaccurate reading and is why using a good home BP tester may be better. They will try to use a wrong-sized cuff on me if I don’t insist - being on the better-fed side of the size charts, the default size will not give me the best reading (I once commented on this to a very petite medical person; she laughed and said they need to use the pediatric one on her). And the process itself can be painful. When I had my monoclonal antibody infusion for COVID back in 2022, the cuff they put on my arm was so painful that I was screaming in pain and trying to rip it off, while the nurse was literally fighting to keep my hands away. For some reason, the reading was a little high. A home BP cuff is obviously not a substitute for having it checked by a professional, using a properly calibrated cuff, but it can show you some trends. @Grrr , glad your son’s BP was OK when it was checked by the pros. And I’m glad he did go - what if the reading had NOT been wrong! ---
**Author:** ![Kelby2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kelby2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby2)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/22 "2024-02-29T00:51:58Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > Doctors tell me many of their patients display significantly higher blood pressure during visits, > > This is me. I’ve been seeing a cardiologist for about 3 years for my high blood pressure. Every time I go, the initial reading is very high. They now know to take it at least a couple more times before it returns to normal. It’s called White Coat Syndrome. > > [What Is White Coat Syndrome? (clevelandclinic.org)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23989-white-coat-syndrome) > > When I go for an appointment, I sit very still and quiet in the waiting room, taking calming breaths (even though I don’t feel anxious). It doesn’t make any difference. It happens every time. Me, too. At this point, it’s essentially a conditioned response. I got rid of the cheaper wrist cuff reader for the more respectable arm cuff variety and take readings with it as directed, readings are almost always well within normal at home. I will be taking the device into my next doctor’s appt, thanks for that reminder. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/23 "2024-02-29T00:58:08Z")
Wikipedia has an article on [white coat hypertension](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_coat_hypertension), which is the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/24 "2024-02-29T04:44:45Z")
Years ago at the doctor’s my blood pressure was higher than expected. The medical assistant changed my blood pressure cuff to one meant for obese patients - like me - and it went down 20 points. She made,sure from then on she used that cuff. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/25 "2024-02-29T14:57:57Z")
Back when I was in practice, I would re-check my patient’s BP myself if it was significantly elevated. (Initial BP was usually checked by the medical assistant using an automated BP machine.) And I’d re-check it the old-fashioned way, with manually inflated cuff and my stethoscope/ears after they’d been sitting quietly with legs uncrossed for 5 minutes. I’d say that over 2/3 of the time, I’d get a normal blood pressure reading when doing that. But of course that eats up extra physician time, slows down patient flow, and in the private sector leads to reduced short term profits. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/26 "2024-02-29T15:05:00Z")
Any home device should be calibrated against a doctors device. BP, blood sugar, even a thermometer. OTC devices are notorious for being badly made and inaccurate. There’s no substitute for regular checkups to give you long-term numbers. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/27 "2024-02-29T15:30:18Z")
I need the extra large cuff for my magnificently muscled arms. If it was a stomach cuff I’m not sure they make one large enough. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/28 "2024-02-29T22:55:24Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Any home device should be calibrated against a doctors device. BP, blood sugar, even a thermometer. OTC devices are notorious for being badly made and inaccurate. There’s no substitute for regular checkups to give you long-term numbers. Agreed - but in the article I linked, they make the point that devices at the DOCTORS’ OFFICES are often not properly calibrated, and the technique is often bad. I’ve been told “no need to roll up your sleeve” numerous times, and I don’t think they’ve EVER had me sit for a couple minutes before doing it. Weirdly, today, my BP was quite good at the doc - something like 115/70, and this was after driving there in morning traffic, being a minute or so late getting in, and having it measured within 2 minutes of walking back to the exam room. I’ve gotten high-ish readings in that situation before (and when I ask them to recheck after a few minutes, it’s always significantly lower). I hate home BP monitors. I mean, they serve a very real need, but something about my flabby arms makes them malfunction. It’ll usually take me 3 or more attempts to get the thing to take a reading rather than showing an error message; checking the manual and correcting whatever “problem” it had often makes no difference. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/29 "2024-02-29T23:59:29Z")
Omrons have a good reputation as far as I know. I have a newer one (that Blue Cross gifted me) that jibes with the readings at my doctor’s office. And I have my late mother’s Omron (at least 25 years old) and it still reads accurately. I know that the cuff needs to fit the arm. The Blue Cross form for mine required the doctor to measure my arm. I think there are actually only two sizes but I guess it matters. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/30 "2024-03-01T00:44:20Z")
A maxim to highlight: a first possible explanation for a measurement that makes no sense (lab, BP, whatever) is simply that it is wrong. Repeat the test before panicking and going down a path of potential misadventures. Hypertension is usually silent and is common but sudden hypertensive crisis numbers are very uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/31 "2024-03-01T02:35:43Z")
I still remember a flight medical where the nurse took my reading 3 times and each time she said “oh my” louder and louder. "STOP SAYING “OH MY”. The doctor took me into another room, turned off the lights and told me to relax. He came back a couple of minutes later and it was fine. My home unit can very greatly so if it’s high I take it again. If it was stupid high and I felt bad I’d get it checked. And I’m also on BP medicine and I have a specific medicine in case it spikes. In the case of your son my first thought was “energy drinks”. They are not his friend. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/32 "2024-03-01T03:38:18Z")
I’m glad it was just the device. Also I’m sad it was the device I depend on several devices. They’ve alarmed us many times. They are never ever to be expected to be perfect. Designed and made by flawed, imperfect humans. Manufactured in places that may have their own issues. Trust your gut, and don’t take unnecessary chances. It’s really all just good/bad luck, in the end. Stay safe as you can. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/33 "2024-03-01T04:20:44Z")
Good to hear the device was faulty. Otherwise, though rare, [pheochromocytoma](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23373-pheochromocytoma) should be considered in the differential diagnosis (it’s a catecholamine-secreting tumor, usually benign, that arises from chromaffin cells in the adrenal gland). HBP and weight loss are 2 of the symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/34 "2024-03-01T14:10:53Z")
Yeah, I’ve heard that from other people as well. All I can say is that my Omron was shit. Multiple readings at multiple different times, following all the rules of resting, feet on the floor, cuff was correctly sized, and they were all way off when compared to readings done by several different medical professionals. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/35 "2024-03-01T14:27:31Z")
I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure over 40 years ago when I was 21. At the time I was running a 6 minute mile for 5 miles every day. My resting heart rate was 50. Now I’m quite a bit heavier such that the doctors recommend me drop the weight. I ask, “So that I can get to the weight I used to be when I also had high blood pressure?” I also cannot take my measurements in a doctor’s office. I’d be admitted to a hospital. So, I refuse and give them my measurements from at home which I track with the Withings app. I’ve calibrated across a couple of instruments over the years to ensure it is correct. With medication, I’m ~112/74. Recently I’ve been taking magnesium and l-citrulline supplements to ensure it stays low. The fact that it has been 40 years and I still receive the exact same information from doctors regarding the cause, as in they have no clue, really, really pisses me off. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/36 "2024-03-01T16:22:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve had dangerously high blood pressure that luckily diminished to normal rapidly with medication. Me too. The doctor who found it took it three times, just to be sure it wasn’t a mistake. Unfortunately, in my case, it wasn’t faulty equipment but genuine high blood pressure. Then he told me, “Go to the hospital NOW!” He also called the hospital to tell them I was coming, so there would be no delay in getting me in. While in the hospital, multiple nurses told me, “It’s a miracle you didn’t have a stroke.” That’s how high it was. I was in my early 30s at the time. But it’s responded very well to medication. I get it checked regularly now, and it’s consistently normal. I’m glad that in the OP’s case, it was an error. But even if it hadn’t been, I’m here to tell you that medication can do wonders these days if you catch it in time. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/37 "2024-03-01T16:37:11Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Back when I was in practice, I would re-check my patient’s BP myself if it was significantly elevated. My doc does it this way. I’m being treated for BP, and if I have a high reading from the nurse, he very deliberately takes my reading when he gets in. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/38 "2024-03-01T17:17:21Z")
There could be a growing problem of medical personnel who aren’t good at taking a reading with an old fashioned sphygmomanometer and stethoscope because they use the machines most of the time. I’ve had strange readings from machines, one time 3 different machines reading differently each time, the young doctor took my blood pressure manually and couldn’t get a consistent result. Finally an older doctor tried it manually and got a reading that was close to the typical for me over several years. I don’t think the problem is simply lack of practice but also the lack of confidence in their own reading after seeing a different result from a machine. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/39 "2024-03-18T18:36:46Z")
Problems with inaccurate (usually falsely high) in-office BP readings often involve bad practices rather than defective devices. > **[Barriers to Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement in the Medical Office](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6287289/)** > > Background: Despite the high prevalence of blood pressure (BP) measurement errors in the outpatient setting, little is known about why primary care clinics struggle to achieve consistently accurate BP measurements in routine practice. We ... > [@DSeid](#): > > A maxim to highlight: a first possible explanation for a measurement that makes no sense (lab, BP, whatever) is simply that it is wrong. Repeat the test before panicking and going down a path of potential misadventures. Excellent advice. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195/40 "2024-03-18T19:52:12Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > My doc does it this way. I’m being treated for BP, and if I have a high reading from the nurse, he very deliberately takes my reading when he gets in. I will often ASK them to remeasure. They don’t volunteer to do so, ever. Though I presume if the number was crazy high, they would!! Of course in that case, chances are the damn machine would crank the pressure super high to be sure of getting above the expected systolic pressure, which can be painful, which can raise BP… Last week I had a failed BP reading at a DOCTOR’s office. Omron machine. It looked like the same one I used to use at home that failed to take a reading about 80% of the time. I tried measuring it at home, and REPEATEDLY got the same error. E5, I think, which I believe means it could not detect a pulse. I’m pretty sure my heart was beating on both occasions. I finally gave up, decided that if I was dead, I wasn’t gonna worry about it, and went on with my day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-has-dangerously-high-blood-pressure-and-will-be-admitted-into-the-hospital-tomorrow-morning/998195.md?page=3)