Blood Pressure Variation

[RunMartin]

I have recently checked my blood pressure and it is 140/86 first thing in the morning. Later on in the day it can drop to 128/80. I used to monitor it fairly regularly and it was usually about 120/80.

I am still running and swimming every day and feel OK. I did have a 24 hour blood pressure check a few years ago and that was OK.

My question is does blood pressure change quite a bit with people with bicuspid aortic valves? i.e. is high blood pressure a symptom of BAV?

Thanks
Martin

 

[Duff Man]

blood pressure changes from minute to minute according to your body's needs. for example when you talk your blood pressure is higher than if you're just sitting, and it even fluctuates as you talk from word to word. If you take your blood pressure 5 times, each reading will be slightly different... for example if you chew gum on the first reading, talk on the phone the next, sit straight on one, think about work on another. Many things can make your blood pressure change from moment to moment. It's not an exactly constant pressure, but the average readings need to be below the guidelines.

 

[hensylee]

my dear Joe had a stroke early in the morning. I did some reading and found that bp is higher early morning and that's when many strokes occur. we also think that activity is involved with strokes but that, too, is a myth. many, many occur when patient is at rest.

bp varies with just about every movement of your body, your position, what you are doing, thinking, etc. I don't think you should worry about the varying - just if it becomes stationary at a high point.

 

[skeptic49]

My question is does blood pressure change quite a bit with people with bicuspid aortic valves? i.e. is high blood pressure a symptom of BAV?

Thanks
Martin

I think that higher BP may be a symptom of progressive BAV disease. When I was younger my BP was great, typically 100/60. However, in the last few years as my BAV stenosis has worsened, my systolic blood pressure has risen. A sharp rise in systolic pressure on exertion is called "labile" hypertension by some sources. My BP is typically the highest in the morning, like yours, around 130-140/80-85. Then it tends to drop off during the day. According to Cedars-Sinai, people with BAV and an aneurysm need to get their BP down to something like 100/60 with medications!

Jim

 

[Bina]

Many years ago I started to check my BP for fun. I would be visiting my Mom and she had a monitor so I would check it.
My resting BP was quite consistently 120/75 with a good resting heart rate.
We had no idea that I was a BAV at that time. Docs had said that I had a harmless murmur. HA

 

[JeffM]

Yeah, I got the "harmless murmur" dismissal until I was 30 and finally went to see a cardio for an echo. That's when my BAV was discovered. What happened with my BP was as my aortic regurgitation progressed over the years, my diastolic number went down because of the volume of blood leaking back into the left ventricle. Common readings were 118/48 or in that vicinity just prior to my AVR. I'm not sure how BP is effected by stenosis versus regurg. but it seems it would cause the systolic reading to decrease as the opening into the aorta gets smaller. Of course the pressure on the left ventricle would be increased.

 

[Mary]

I heard a medical doctor state yesterday that they now consider 120/80 to be on the marginal side of "high" rather than a normal blood pressure reading.
Considering you're still waiting for replacement, I would err on the side of caution and bring the latest readings to your cardio's attention.

 

[RunMartin]

I heard a medical doctor state yesterday that they now consider 120/80 to be on the marginal side of "high" rather than a normal blood pressure reading.
Considering you're still waiting for replacement, I would err on the side of caution and bring the latest readings to your cardio's attention.

I have my six month check up this wednesday (11th Feb) so I will bring it up. The annoying thing is that yesterday I did a 20 mile race over the hills and through snow and felt really good and strong at the end.

Thanks
Martin

 

[RunMartin]

I saw the cardio two weeks ago and told him about the blood pressure but he did not seem to be too concerned. However the echo showed the valve was a little more restricted and the aorta had grown in size. I have just been for a CT scan to look at the aorta again. I am not sure whan I will get the results but I get the feeling it is now time!!!

 

[cpl]

Hello Martin,

You seem to be a very active person still doing sports with BAV.
Has your doctor recommended to puruse sports as usual?
Have you had any symptoms like short of breath?

Clement

 

[RunMartin]

Hello Martin,

You seem to be a very active person still doing sports with BAV.
Has your doctor recommended to puruse sports as usual?
Have you had any symptoms like short of breath?

Clement

Hi Clement,
The doctor is fully aware of the sports I participate in. I have not had any symptoms like shortness of breath but I have started to feel a tightness in the chest sometimes when I run very hard. I have now eased back a bit now and I am waiting for the CT scan results. I probably have more symptoms than I realise but due to running they are being masked out.

Martin

 

[brunoandbear]

I would call them and get those results - you had the test a week ago.

 

[cpl]

Hello Martin,

For the BAV "newbies", what is a CT scan and how does it differ from the traditional cardiograms?

Clemenet

 

[pnwcoast]

At the top of this page, second from the top, is a very informative post on acronyms.