Hello and Thanks to all of you in advance:
Today, I was at a clinic going through initial screens for testing (as a volunteer "guinea pig") for a new pharmaceutical treatment. Part of the initial screens was a blood pressure test which must fit within tight parameters. What happened kind of stunned me, since I’ve never witnessed my body respond this way before, and I’m wondering why and if I need to be concerned about anything.
Previous to this screen, the protocol required that we not consume any caffeine or alcohol products for three days and also to fast for 10 hours previous to the screen, which I observed to the letter. I also do not use any drugs and do not smoke. Nor do I drink. I do exercise faithfully, but have not for the past couple days. I did take a multi-vitamin the day before (yesterday). No prescription meds, though.
I went into the screen very relaxed, having a full night’s sleep; not under any stress, etc. Good to go, so I thought.
However, for some VERY curious reason, when it came time for my blood pressure test, the readings fluctuated very significantly, and I’ve never witnessed such wide divergences in my life. Granted, I know that blood pressure readings will fluctuate every time you take them. And I normally have blood pressure results within the healthy range, or worst case, the "pre-hypertension" range (I am 52 and in good health).
However, this morning, the guy tested me 6 times (he was being kind – they’re only supposed to test once), and each time my BP fluctuated through what I thought was a wild range, both for systolic and diastolic measures. Each time, the BP readings for either side – systolic and diastolic – would go up or down in a range of 10-20 points!! Normally, the BP does not fluctuate that much (to the best of my knowledge, but that’s why I’m asking the community). And the weird thing was, I was totally relaxed, trying to meditate, etc., to get my BP in the range. It was always ONE number off; and, what was weird, is that one reading would show a leap on one side (say, diastolic) and a concomitant FALL in the other (systolic). Each reading showed both sides fluctuating like a teeter-totter; one up; the other down – like I said, in that 10-20 point wide range.
Does anyone out there have a clue as to why this kind of reading would show up like this? And need I be concerned about anything? Like I said, normally, when my BP is checked (at the Doctor, or wherever – even those free machines at Wal-Mart); the readings are fairly "normal."
This time, systolic was fluctuating between 120 and 140; and diastolic between about 72 and 93 – like a see-saw.
Thanks again for your help and ideas.
Dave in Arizona
