Question nearly blood pressure reading...?

Okay so here is the deal...
26 years old and I am an amateur bodybuilder. I am 5'8, 205lbs, and currently 8% bodyfat. I have a deeply structured workout routine that incorporates both weight training and cardio 6 days per week. I eat VERY healthy and VERY lean. I almost never munch through junk food or sweets. I have no history of health problems at adjectives.

The other day I went to Walgreens and used one of those blood pressure machine contained by the store where you put your arm in the cuff. Well I barely manage to fit my arm in the cuff since it said it was made for the average adult arm which is 13 inches (my arms are 17 inches).

I want to stress the reality that I am one of the few bodybuilders who DOES NOT use steroids or any sort of supplements whatsoever. This is the honest truth.

My question I have here is could the blood pressure reading have be flawed at all due to the fact that my arm barely fit surrounded by the arm cuff in the first place?
Answers:     yes because your arm didn't fit into the cuff correctly your blood pressure ready is not correct
The cuff is too small. When the cuff is too small, your blood pressure will appear higher than it is. Go to a doc, where they got bigger cuffs for your arms and draw from it tested there.
Don't use blood pressure gauges within supermarkets or pharmacies; they're rarely well maintained.
blood pressure reading (1) 151/90 mmHg. Stage 1 hypertension + Isolated systolic hypertension. Pulse pressure 151--90 = 61 mmHg.
Isolated systolic hypertension, however, is defined as a systolic pressure i.e. above 140 mm Hg with a diastolic pressure that still is below 90.
BP reading (2) 145/85 mmHg. Pulse pressure 145--85 = 60 mmHg.
Research suggests that an elevated pulse pressure may be a strong predictor of heart problems, especially for older adults. Generally, a pulse pressure greater than 60 mm Hg is abnormal.
ult a cardiologist. Source(s): http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_i…
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec01/ch006/ch…
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pulse-p…
ref="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolated_systolic_hypertension" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolated_sy…
http://www.medicinenet.com/high_blood_pr…
High Blood Pressure for Dummies by Alan L.Rubin, M.D.
Using a cuff that is the wrong size can hand over you a wrong reading. However, as a bodybuilder, you also would be more likely to have a higher than average blood pressure. Lifting weights, especially doing fatty weights, can increase your blood pressure. Your body overcompensates so that your muscles have enough blood flow. If you'd cut back on the weights, you'd consideration a difference in a matter of a few days to a week. This isn't necessarily unhealthy since you know that it's cause by the weight training and not from being sedentary.
You are absolutely correct in your supposition, too small a cuff, which you are clearly describing will significantly,falsely elevate your BP reading. Go see your doctor who will check your blood pressure with the appropriate sized cuff for your arm and I am sure will be then know how to put your mind at rest.
The answer is yes, definitely! To obtain an accurate blood pressure reading, the proper equipment must be utilized. This includes the correct size cuff. Using a cuff to be precise too small, or even too big can give a false high or low reading. Another thing to remember is that like mad of the automatic cuffs that are used in medical facilities, and some stores, are not always accurate. Not to mention it squeezes your arm so tightly, that it could rather possiblly cause you to have some mild hypertension. My advice is to enjoy your B/P checked the old-fashioned (and most accurate) way, with a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer,.


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