High Blood Pressure and Cold

[ukpreppergrrl]

@xfilion
Hi...do you have a link to that report? I have a friend on medication for high blood pressure who refuses to put the heating on in her house over the winter because "they're bleeding me dry", it's like walking into a fridge sometimes! It's not that she has difficulty paying the bill, she just doesn't want to, she'd rather spend the money on a new handbag! So far none of our advice about the detrimental affect on her health have made it through... She's the same one who thinks that paying £300 a year for clean water to be brought into her house and dirty water to be taken away and ne'er the twain shall meet is also far too much...and she comes from a country where drinking the tap water is inadvisable... sigh...

[xfilion]

Hi Preppergirl

This is the link you need.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/11November/ ... inter.aspx

[Tizzie]

Thank you so much for this info, my husband suffers from high pressure, this is something we were not aware of. We will have to get our thinking hats on to see how we would manage this if shtf in the winter and there was no heating.

[ukpreppergrrl]

Hi Preppergirl

This is the link you need.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/11November/ ... inter.aspx

Ta muchly!

[Arzosah]

I'd no idea of the link between high blood pressure and cold in the house! Thank you for that, xfilion. And Nick, didn't know there was free software that could do what you describe, I used to listen to ... can't remember the right name now, semi-something tapes, back when cassette tapes were as high tech as it got

I had to use a BP machine at my GP's a lot, a few years ago, and the first visit I must have used it ten times (there was no queue, fortunately!). Placement made a huge difference to the readings I got, absolutely - it took me a while to realise they're really serious about reading the instructions

[Decaff]

If someone has low blood pressure, are there any precautions in the cold or heat for that matter for this does anyone know??

[Appin]

You should check your BP in both arms . It should be the same. If there is a difference then go with the higher reading. A big difference suggests one artery is diseased . Health care workers are taught to use the right arm first as there are diseases that cause A high BP in the R arm and low in the left.

Appin

[Mad Scientist]

Hi Folks! I was a Health Screener some years ago and yes, the blood thickens considerably with cold and/or dehydration. In an experiment on myself, I allowed myself to become thirsty and took my BP. It's normally quite low but this time it was quite high! I had a good drink of water and measured again about an hour later. Back down to normal. Scary! Dehydration results in less plasma (fluid) to flow through the blood vessels but the amount of cells in the blood remains the same so the blood becomes thicker. Keep well hydrated at all times and wear a hat and gloves in winter, no matter how young you are.

[jansman]

Do you have your own BP monitor?

I was thinking of getting this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omron-Basic-Blo ... re+monitor

It has lots of really good reviews.

I have used that one for the last 3 years hobo. It works, and scares the crap out of me every time I use it!