high blood pressure:

From: ApprenticeQ (apprenticeq_at_aol.com)
Date: 09/05/04 

Date: 05 Sep 2004 18:32:51 GMT

I am so afraid. I am on a bata blocker and diovan. i got up this morning so
tired, and weak, with light headedness and sore throat, as well as short of
breath. With my chronic bronchitis and mitral valve prolapse, i take no
chances. I went to the hospital. They took my b/p with the digital b/p monitors
that they use at the hospital and it said 165/114. She then got a regular b/p
and took it manually and she got 145/95. Well that's a big jump. She didn't
seem concerned at all. I asked about the difference and she said because i am
small and not a lot of body mass the digital machines register higher. They did
nothing for me but took my blood, did an ekg, an x-ray and told me to follow up
with my doctor, because i had some strange symptoms. Before they sent me home
they checked my b/p again, the same way. first the electronic machine, my
pressure again was high the bottom number was 106. this was a different nurse
again she checked manually and got almost identical to what i came in with when
she checked it manually. Can anyon explain to me why this would happen, and how
it is that they would recheck the B/P manually. How do one determine which is
accurate and which isn't. Patients are treated all the time in hospitals with
these machines. If they aren't accurate why are they using them. Any feedback
from anyone?