High variance measuing blood pressure manually vs machines

[mdwilson2011]

I can take my BP at work with a machine, and almost always it’s 140ish over 90ish, sometimes higher. At home with my manual setup from walgreens, I get a consistent 120-130 over 80 or less. I can hear very very soft sounds around 70 sometimes. Anyone have experience and can explain this huge difference? I gave blood a week ago and the machine said my bp was 160/82, went home and it was 120/80. Not really sure what to believe. Cuff size is always correct, so we can eliminate that variable.

 

[devildolphin]

I have the exact same problem myself. Came off all gear to get my bp in check and have gotten wildly different numbers taken back to back from machine to manual. I would say the manual bp is the most accurate. Any machine can be off.

 

[system]

The machines aren’t made for big arms. It skews the reading. Check out the label on the machine and it’ll say some absurd shit like arm circumference needs to be under 15” (idk the exact number, I’d assume each machine is diff). I’ve never been (since using steroids) able to use any of them at grocery stores/pharmacies.

 

[Dexter]

Machines will almost always read high. You can expect at least a 10 point higher reading and there’s nothing you can do about if the bozo’s taking your bp insist on using these worthless instruments.

Doctors offices are moving away from the manual sphygmomanometer, many of which are high dollar equipment and very accurate, to the pure garbage mechanical bp and many people are pissed off when they walk out of the office wondering why they’re so high.

It’s really by design, everyone is supposed to have high blood pressure, we’re all supposed to be on medications as they lower the acceptable bp range every decade. Granted those of us on AAS should be on them because we’re doing several things to elevate it.

And I agree that most bp cuffs aren’t nearly big enough, that’s why I sought out a leg cuff so it would fit. Standard cuffs barely hold the velcro on my arm which is gonna throw the measurement way off.

 

[appropionate]

manual is accurate if the cuff is sized correctly, there’s no machine on the market currently that has gotten satisfying test results to my knowledge, researched this extensively about half a year ago

 

[stoneofbane]

I had a machine take mine at 190/120 and on the same day a doctor read it at 130/80. I have had lots of variance with this. Manual is the way to go.

 

[FixerUpper]

Manual cuff and sphygmomanometer is always going to be more accurate, assuming correct cuff size, than any other method available.

Even cardiac monitors that cost $25k+ will be less accurate than a manual setup when measuring BP. Anyone with a healthcare background can vouch for this.

 

[mdwilson2011]

Thanks for the replies guys. Seems like the consensus is ignore machines, manual is the gold standard besides invasive bp, obviously.

 

[EpicFlash]

mdwilson2011" pid='83718' dateline='1583364377:

Thanks for the replies guys. Seems like the consensus is ignore machines, manual is the gold standard besides invasive bp, obviously.

I just spent a week with the cardiologist doing every test available.
I have elevated BP and take lisinipril. Been using a machine almost daily. Got to the point where even upping the dose couldn’t keep the reading below 150/90 and given my last 12 months of pretty aggressive cycles I figured I should get heart checked anyway. Turns out the heart is perfect. And the machine was wildly off …during the multiple tests and visits. It never read over 130 at any point during the days I had all the testing done. I also think as my arms grew, the machine became more inaccurate.