What’s The Difference Between Blood Pressure And Pulse
While your blood pressure is the force of your blood moving through your blood vessels, your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute.
- They are two separate measurements and indicators of health.
- For people with high blood pressure , theres no substitute for measuring blood pressure.
Whats The Relationship Between High Blood Pressure And Low Pulse
To consider how your pulse and blood pressure can affect each other, think of your pulse as an electrical system and your blood pressure as plumbing.
Your pulse is mostly controlled by electrical impulses. These impulses travel through your heart, telling the chambers to beat in even time. Exercise, stress, fear, and other factors can speed up your pulse. Being sedentary can slow it down.
This electrical system stimulates the pumping motion that propels your hearts plumbing system. When the pipes, or blood vessels, arent blocked, blood easily flows through them.
If your blood vessels are narrow or have some kind of obstruction, your heart has to either squeeze harder or beat faster to pump blood. This results in high blood pressure.
When your blood pressure and pulse are out of balance, it strains your heart. You might also experience a range of symptoms, including:
- confusion
Several things can cause a combination of high blood pressure and low pulse.
Certain Pain Relievers Can Raise Blood Pressure
People with chronic pain take many pain relievers like Advil. Advil falls into the category of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 7. Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can raise blood pressure 8.
The following medications are NSAIDs:
- Advil
- Etodolac
- Oxaprozin
They raise blood pressure because they can cause your body to retain water, sodium and cause kidney problems. NSAIDS can reduce the effect of many blood pressure drugs complicating the problem even more 9.
Read Also: Does Claritin D Raise Blood Pressure
Where Is It And What Is A Normal Heart Rate
The best places to find your pulse are the:
- wrists
- side of your neck
- top of the foot
To get the most accurate reading, put your finger over your pulse and count the number of beats in 60 seconds.
Your resting heart rate is the heart pumping the lowest amount of blood you need because youre not exercising. If youre sitting or lying and youre calm, relaxed and arent ill, your heart rate is normally between 60 and 100 .
But a heart rate lower than 60 doesnt necessarily signal a medical problem. It could be the result of taking a drug such as a beta blocker. A lower heart rate is also common for people who get a lot of physical activity or are very athletic. Active people often have a lower resting heart rate because their heart muscle is in better condition and doesnt need to work as hard to maintain a steady beat. A low or moderate amount of physical activity doesnt usually change the resting pulse much.
You Shouldn’t Ignore White Coat Hypertension
Some people experience white coat hypertension, when blood pressure is elevated in the doctor’s office but not in other settings. These patients need to monitor their blood pressure at home or wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor that takes your blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours.
While white coat hypertension was formerly considered simple nervousness, recent research suggests otherwise.
A study published in the journal Hypertension found that people with white coat hypertension are at a significantly greater risk for developing sustained high blood pressure than people who have normal blood pressure. One possible explanation is that people with white coat hypertension have a harder time managing stress and anxiety.
Don’t Miss: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure
What Does It Mean To Have High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is permanently higher than normal. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, especially heart attacks and strokes.
Its possible to have high blood pressure without knowing, so its important to keep an eye on it by getting your heart health checked regularly by a health professional.
If you do have high blood pressure, you can help manage it with some simple changes to your lifestyle, such as eating a heart healthy diet and exercising more. Your doctor might also recommend some medications to keep it under control.
What Is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure .
The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines.
The guidelines used to diagnose high blood pressure may differ from health care professional to health care professional:
- Some health care professionals diagnose patients with high blood pressure if their blood pressure is consistently 140/90 mm Hg or higher.2 This limit is based on a guideline released in 2003, as seen in the table below.
- Other health care professionals diagnose patients with high blood pressure if their blood pressure is consistently 130/80 mm Hg or higher.1 This limit is based on a guideline released in 2017, as seen in the table below.
| systolic: 130 mm Hg or higherdiastolic: 80 mm Hg or higher |
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, talk with your health care team about your blood pressure levels and how these levels affect your treatment plan.
You May Like: Va Disability Rating For Hypertension
Know Your Numbers: Maximum And Target Heart Rate By Age
This table shows target heart rate zones for different ages. Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age.3
In the age category closest to yours, read across to find your target heart rates. Target heart rate during moderate intensity activities is about 50-70% of maximum heart rate, while during vigorous physical activity its about 70-85% of maximum.
The figures are averages, so use them as a general guide.
High Blood Pressure And Rapid Heart Rate
- Medical Author: Sabrina Felson, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
High blood pressure with rapid heart rate can be seen with panic attack, anxiety, PTSD, stress reaction, hypertension, stroke, cocaine or methamphetamine intoxication, or benzodiazapine or ethyl alcohol withdrawal. It also may be heat stroke or heart arrhtymtia like atrial fibrillation. Call the doctor.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
Read Also: Hypertension Va Disability Rating
Other Common Causesof High Blood Pressure And Low Pulse
Many high blood pressure medications directly lower your heart rate. If they are unable to fully reduce the blood pressure to normal, then the combination of high blood pressure and a low pulse will occur. These blood pressure medications are especially likely to lower your heart rate:
- Beta blockers, such as propranolol ,metoprolol , and atenolol
- Calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem and verapamil
- Clonidine
- Methyldopa
Some people with high blood pressure also have heartbeat abnormalities that produce a low pulse. In sick sinus syndrome, for example, the part of the heart that produces a normal heartbeat called the sinus node does not function as it should. This can lead to a slow heart rate.
Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure Low Pulse Rate
The symptoms are manifold and the first sign of caution is difficulty in breathing. Besides this, if you notice the below conditions then seek medical advice or consult your doctor without any delay.
- Weakness every now and then
These are the general signs & symptoms of low pulse rate with high blood pressure.
Read Also: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure
Why Is It Important To Know If You Have High Blood Pressure
Early detection of high blood pressure is very important. Often referred to as the silent killer because it may show no symptoms, high blood pressure puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, among other things. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013, more than 360,000 deaths in the United States included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause.
What Does High Blood Pressure And Low Pulse Rate Indicate
The lifestyle changes and unhealthy food habits have increased the number of people with high blood pressure with low pulse rate, a condition in which the blood puts increased pressure on the blood vessels but still, the heart rate is less than 60 times a minute. To understand why this situation arises we need to understand the basics of blood pressure.
Read Also: Does Claritin Affect Blood Pressure
Does High Blood Pressure Increase Heart Rate
Heart rate and blood pressure do not necessarily increase at the same rate. A rising heart rate does not cause your blood pressure to increase at the same rate. Even though your heart is beating more times a minute, healthy blood vessels dilate to allow more blood to flow through more easily. When you exercise, your heart speeds up so more blood can reach your muscles. It may be possible for your heart rate to double safely, while your blood pressure may respond by only increasing a modest amount.
What Causes A Low Pulse Rate With High Blood Pressure
The causes are many, right from lifestyle to eating habits and from past familys health history to nature of work. The other causes include
- Thickened heart tissues which arise due to long term high blood pressure
- Medications especially beta-blockers used to treat high blood pressure
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic injuries near the brain
All these are potential risk factors that can onset High Blood pressure.
Recommended Reading: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure
Risks Of High Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.
Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:
- have a relative with high blood pressure
- are of black African or black Caribbean descent
- live in a deprived area
Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high.
When To Worry About High Blood Pressure With Low Pulse Rate
Usually, this shouldnt be a worry if you follow healthy habits and stick to medicines if any were prescribed. However, it becomes a concern when you suddenly faint, feel dizziness, go through shortness in breathing, and feel sudden pains in the chest. These indicate immediate hospitalization and probably a pacemaker to cure the underlying reason that triggered these problems.
To sum up the thing, the above conditions may come every now and then if youre on medication but if they come without you being on medication then it is a matter of worry. Keep your blood pressure and heart rate calculator handy if youre a High blood pressure person irrespective of you being on medicine or not.
Recommended Reading: Omron Bp785 Calibration
Treatment For High Blood Pressure With Low Pulse Rate
Since this is such a condition that rarely goes away once affected it is better to depend on natural remedies and other alternative medicines rather than depending on allopathic medicines. Regular exercising, maintaining a good weight, a diet with less salt, not smoking, and moderate drinking will help a lot.
However, consult your doctor to know if you need medicines and other treatments.
Usually, Thiazide diuretics, Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor blockers , and Calcium channel blockers are suggested.
High blood pressure with a low pulse rate has become a common guest like diabetes. However, as long as youre taking proper medicine and following good life habits there is nothing to worry about.
Sudheendra is a passionate blogger for 8 years and holds a Degree in Journalism & Mass Communications. His writings particularly focus on health, medicine, diet & lifestyle. For him, everything that interlinks and relates to health & medical world entices him. His write-ups aim at educating people not by just giving facts but by infusing human touch.
Learning To Cope With Stress Can Help
Stress and hypertension have often been linked, but researchers are still looking into a direct relationship between the two. Still, the best advice to hypertensive patients: Try to relax.
When you are stressed, your body sends stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream. These hormones create a temporary spike in blood pressure, causing your heart to beat faster and blood vessels to narrow. When the stressful situation is over, blood pressure goes back to its normal level.
Chronic stress, however, may cause your body to stay in this highly-charged state longer than natural.
While stress itself may or may not affect blood pressure, how you cope with stress does. For instance, overeating, smoking and drinking alcohol in response to stressful situations are direct causes of sustained high blood pressure. On the flip side, healthier coping mechanisms like exercising, practicing yoga and meditating can all help lower blood pressure.
Recommended Reading: Does Spicy Food Cause High Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure And Heart Rate Have Normal Target Numbers
False: There are guidelines, but whats normal varies from person to person.
Optimal blood pressure typically is defined as 120 mm Hg systolic which is the pressure as your heart beats over 80 mm Hg diastolic which is the pressure as your heart relaxes. For your resting heart rate, the target is between 60 and 100 beats per minute .
Keep in mind that heart rate and blood pressure are a customized fit. You need to work with your doctor to establish a baseline thats normal for you.
High Blood Pressure Facts
What every adult should know about high blood pressure, or hypertension
There’s a good reason why every doctor’s appointment starts with a blood pressure check. While one in three American adults has high blood pressure, about 20% of people are unaware that they have it because it is largely symptomless.
In fact, most people find out they have high blood pressure during a routine office visit.
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps blood. High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is when that force is too high and begins harming the body. If left untreated, it willl eventually cause damage to the heart and blood vessels.
Your blood pressure is measured in two numbers: The top systolic blood pressure measures the force pushing against artery walls when the heart is contracting. The bottom diastolic blood pressure measures pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.
Normal blood pressure levels are 120 mmHg/80 mmHg or lower. At risk levels are 120-139 mmHg/80-89 mmHg. Readings of 140 mmHg/90 mmHg or higher are defined as high blood pressure.
Here are six other things you should know about high blood pressure.
Recommended Reading: Does Vinegar Lower Your Blood Pressure
The Cold Pressor Test
The cold pressor test 11, like the one above, is very effective when evaluating how pain and stress affect the human body. What is the cold pressor test?
The cold pressor test is used clinically to evaluate cardiovascular functions during pain and stress. A participants hand is immersed into cold water for a period of time. Changes in blood pressure and heart rate are recorded prior to, during and after the immersion.
In another cold pressor study, students performed the test and used water measured and maintained at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit . While the participants hands were immersed in the cold water, blood pressure increased from approximately 120/77 to 138/86 mmHg 12.
Studies have shown people who have a lower tolerance to pain show a greater increase in blood pressure than people with a higher tolerance. Even though, blood pressure increased in both groups 13.
Treatment For Low Blood Pressure And High Pulse Rate
Treatment will depend on your underlying cause, with most requiring their own unique form of therapy. For example, neurally mediated hypotension is often treated with a combination of blood pressure medication and increased salt and water intake. However, this will not cure the condition, but rather help you manage it. Treatment for NMH will require persistence, commitment, and willingness to try several other drug and therapy combinations to help control the problem. Drugs known for improving NMH include fludrocortisone , beta-blockers , disopyramide , fluoxetine , sertraline , ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, theophylline, methylphenidate , and midodrine.
If your condition is benign and not due to any serious underlying problem, the following changes to your lifestyle may provide some help with low blood pressure.
Therapies employed to remedy cases of low blood pressure and high heart rate often do not cure the problem and should be managed with the guidance of an experienced physician. If you were to suddenly stop any prescribed treatment plans, symptoms may return or even worsen. It is important to recognize situations that may lead to symptom exacerbation and to avoid triggers. However, many of the conditions leading to low blood pressure and high pulse rate have not been extensively studied, with more research being required.
Related: Resting heart rate chart: Factors that influence heart rate in elderly
Recommended Reading: Onion Lower Blood Pressure