I am on blood pressure medicine- during the week I have a great reading but when I get to the Drs office it skyrockets Should your blood pressure medicine be preventing this from happening?

Answer 1

It's quite common for blood pressures to become elevated at times of stress - not the least of which is a visit to the doctor's office. "White Coat Syndrome," as it's commonly called, is often the cause of an elevated blood pressure reading in the office, even if you aren't consciously aware of the anxiety producing the high readings. Let your doctor know what your home readings are - most will treat based on those rather than a stress- elevated office reading. Remember that most home BP cuffs aren't as sophisticated as office devices and may be more prone to error. You should bring your cuff to your office visit and check it against the pressure your doctor measures to make sure that it isn't giving you an incorrectly low reading when you're at home.