Blood Pressure

[bethmart]

I have to stop and wonder if blood pressure should be something that is based on someones weight. I would think that a blood pressure that is normal for a 100 pound person would be different for a 300 pound person.


Think about it. Your heart probably has to work alot harder to pump blood to your body. And there is more body to pump it to than a 100 pound body.

My blood pressure has always been low. Not too low but just normal low. When I was 285 my dr was always amazed I didnt have High Blood pressure.

The reason I say this is because I tend to think I have low blood pressure. I have a lot of the symptoms.


* Dizziness or lightheadedness --This happens alot
* Fainting (syncope) --Never happened
* Lack of concentration-- all the time
* Blurred vision --sometimes
* Nausea-- when I wake up I feel hungover
* Cold, clammy, pale skin --Im always cold
* Rapid, shallow breathing --Cant count this one I have asthma
* Fatigue all the time
* Depression --Suffer from this
* Thirst-- sometimes

What do you think?

[jillybean720]

So, you're saying you think it would be "normal" for a bigger person to have higher blood pressure since your heart would have to work harder, yet you're saying that you are about 285 pounds and have normal-low blood pressure. I'm confused, then, as to why you think it should be higher for bigger people, since that's clearly not the case? Am I completely confusing something?

[srmb60]

Blood pressure is the pressure at which blood pounds against the walls of your arteries.

I think Beth's point is that hers would be low ... more low than normal ... if it took a higher pressure to run a larger body.

Those symptoms are pretty vague. Some of them can apply to a sudden drop in pressure ... like a vasovagal episode ... but then they can apply to having a stroke, being tired, being dehydrated, having a migraine, having low blood sugar etc too.

Dizziness is a dangerous symptom ... especially if you drive ... and worth seeing a doc for.

[ennay]

Yes in general as weight goes up, bp goes up. The "average" BP at 300 lbs may indeed be what would be considered high.

The problem is the word "normal". It may be NORMAL (average, usual, typical) to see a BP of 180/90 in someone overweight, that doesn't mean it is safe or healthy. From a medical standpoint the word "normal" means healthy.

Because you are correct, the heart has to work harder to provide an overweight person with circulation, but it wasnt DESIGNED to do so. The arteries were not designed for the pressure.

[cbmare]

You would think that. However, I have what I consider normal now. It used to be 90/70. However, as I put on weight it went up. Getting older does that as well. My last few visits to the dr have been 115/68. That is still in what is considered the normal range.

I asked about that when I visited the last time. I mentioned that I thought it would be higher since in rapidly running out of the 50s and heading for the 60s and overweight. She told me that they have skinny young people in there with 200/160s. Weight can play a part in it but as a usual rule, it's activity, diet and family history that will play the biggest parts in your BP.

I do agree with the others, I'm not sure what you were asking.

[BabyBrownEyes]

Even at 321 lbs...I had what my doctor said was perfect BP....mine never went up when I got heavier and nurses at the hospital would always tell me they wish they had my BP. It's because I'm active...just because you're big doesn't mean you're not healthy..and just because you're skinny doesn't mean you ARE healthy....

[TeresaR]

Hmm my bp has been 120/70 for ages and I currently weigh 264 lbs. My molm on the other hand weighs 200 lbs and her bp is around 140ish/90ish.

[trekkiegirl]

I have low bp as well...it's not uncommon for me to read 85/55. Even at my highest weight of 202, having eaten cheeseburgers, fries, cheese, salty snacks, etc., not once did I come close to being high. Getting up to the "normal" 120/80 is high for me. And I wasn't active before either. I mean, I would have thought I was a perfect candidate for high bp--overweight, salty foods, inactive. I do experience light-headedness sometimes but I find it's usually if I haven't eaten for a few hours or if I've been forced to sit too long in the same general position (like at a meeting or at some restaurants). I usually have to get up and move around to refresh my head. Sometimes I'll have gum or suck on a piece of candy, which seems to help.