See a spike in your blood pressure?

If you’re monitoring your own blood pressure, a 10-point upward swing can be horribly disconcerting. It’s big enough to mean the difference between perfect health and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cognitive impairment.

Common causes of blood pressure spikes

What patients don’t commonly know, though, is just how variable blood pressure can be, said Peter Jansen, MD, a family physician at Baptist Primary Care on Fleming Island. Driving in traffic can raise your blood pressure. So can arguing with your spouse, working a demanding job, or even something as simple as having a full bladder. Anything that creates stress could boost your reading.

Blood pressure readings can be wrong even in a clinical environment. When a patient is nervous about seeing a doctor, the stress inches the reading upward. Or maybe a medical assistant moved a person to another room before taking their blood pressure.

“That increases the reading because now you’ve made them stand up,” Dr. Jansen said.

7 mistakes to avoid while taking your blood pressure

Common measurement mistakes can also cause blood pressure numbers to rise or even fall unexpectedly.

1. A full bladder can add 10 to 15 points to your blood pressure reading.
2. Poor support for your feet or back while seated can raise your blood pressure reading by 6 to 10 points.
3. Crossing your legs can add 2 to 8 points to your reading.
4. If your arm hangs by your side or you hold it up while getting a reading, your blood pressure numbers may be 10 points higher. Your arm should rest on a chair or counter, and the blood pressure cuff should be level with your heart.
5. Placing the cuff over clothing can add 5 to 50 points.
6. A too-small cuff can add 2 to 10 points.
7. Talking can add 10 points.

Monitoring blood pressure safely and accurately

A healthy systolic blood pressure – the “upper” number – should be less than 120. A range of 120 to 129 is considered elevated, and higher than 130 suggests stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure).

“Technically, the way you’re supposed to measure blood pressure should alleviate false high readings,” Dr. Jansen said. “You should sit quietly in a chair for five minutes and then take your blood pressure on each arm.”

In practice, that’s not always what happens. And it can be tempting for doctors to over-treat just to be on the safe side, he said. But unneeded blood pressure medicine can cause other problems, like lightheadedness or passing out.

“When a new patient’s blood pressure is high, I find that if I have them go home and monitor for a couple of weeks, it often drops,” said Dr. Jansen.

If you have multiple high readings over time, it’s a good idea to self-monitor your blood pressure regularly to make sure it stays within a healthy range most of the time.

Omron is a well-recommended brand for home blood pressure monitors, Dr. Jansen said. Many pharmacies and grocery stores have in-store blood pressure monitors available, too.

Rescue stations will also check your blood pressure for you if they're not busy, or you can visit any of our Baptist Wellness Centers.