Do I have high blood pressure?

"High blood pressure - the silent killer" - Various articles can be found with this or similarly worded headlines in different magazines and on the internet. They point to the danger of high blood pressure, as it can lead to not only unpleasant but also life-threatening diseases. Many readers perceive this danger rather abstractly, thinking it won't affect them personally.
What if it does?

What if perhaps the parents or grandparents already have high blood pressure, a so-called hypertension? Or one must honestly admit to oneself various risk factors such as little exercise, stress, or a very good appetite that favor high blood pressure? How does one actually notice that their blood pressure is too high? If it is portrayed as the "silent killer" and it is repeatedly pointed out that it causes little to no symptoms at least in the beginning?

Possible symptoms that can occur with high blood pressure, regardless of gender.

Those who visit their family doctor more or less regularly will usually have their blood pressure measured. Perhaps not at every visit, but still with a certain regularity. If one participates in preventive examinations, the check-ups starting from the age of 35, blood pressure measurement is also part of the program to possibly detect dangerous diseases early. The ESH (European Society of Hypertension) even recommends including blood pressure measurement for children from the age of 3 as part of the standard preventive examinations (U-examinations), as the condition increasingly occurs in children and adolescents. Elevated blood pressure at this age also carries the risk of serious diseases later in life, just like the condition in adulthood, and should therefore be detected and treated as early as possible. But what do people do who have outgrown childhood and are healthy enough not to have any reason to visit a doctor or who like to "forget" about preventive examinations? Assuming that blood pressure values will be fine is perhaps a bit naive. It is at least advisable to check from time to time whether this is the case. One does not necessarily have to make an appointment with a doctor for this. Most pharmacies offer blood pressure measurement as a service.

Even easier is measuring blood pressure at home with an automatic blood pressure monitor. These devices are already available at very low prices. This way, blood pressure can be checked easily and without the stress of a doctor's visit. There is not even a need to leave the house.

It makes sense to document the measured values. This way, a gradual increase can be recognized more easily, and higher values are not just attributed to daily fluctuations.

Which brings us to the question of how meaningful a single blood pressure measurement is. You might suspect: not very much. Because especially when one measures their blood pressure quickly and casually, the values can be distorted and often elevated. To obtain a realistic measurement result, various points must be considered. Even before purchasing a measuring device, one can find out more or less suitable models for themselves. We currently advise against measuring blood pressure with smartwatches, fitness bands, etc., as the technology largely does not yet provide sufficiently accurate results. The devices that show the most accurate measurement results still need to be calibrated with conventional blood pressure monitors. So, one can save money for now and use the blood pressure monitor directly.

Before the measurement itself, a sufficient rest period should be observed, meaning one should sit down with the measuring device for a few minutes and calm down before starting the measurement. Of course, one should not come directly from exercising, but there should also be some time between coffee, a bath, smoking, or eating, for example, and the measurement, as these can also influence the values. The excitement that may still show during the first measurement can usually be alleviated in a second measurement after a few minutes.

For those who want a particularly realistic picture of their blood pressure values, we recommend guideline-compliant measurement over several days. This means measuring blood pressure every morning and evening while sitting on the edge of the bed with two measurements taken about 2 minutes apart and documenting the results. If elevated values are shown, these can be discussed with the family doctor, and necessary measures can be taken.

BloodPressureDB accompanies you from the very beginning. We offer you assistance in selecting a suitable blood pressure monitor and guide you to a guideline-compliant measurement with which you can measure your blood pressure values as accurately as possible. Our blood pressure calculator shows you directly whether the measured values are normal or too high. In the BloodPressureDB app, you can document and evaluate the data, set reminders for the next measurement, and keep track of your blood pressure values in the long term.

Sources:

By Sabine Croci. This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (10/2024).
Information on the website and within the app cannot replace a consultation with a doctor, but can certainly complement it.

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Do I have high blood pressure?

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