DEAR DOCTORS: I want to start checking my blood pressure to see if the high readings my doctor gets are accurate. I read you should always sit still before getting a reading. Is that true? That never happens at my doctor’s office.
DEAR READER: Blood pressure has been central to several columns in recent months. It’s an important metric when it comes to general health, so we will risk repeating ourselves a bit in this new discussion.
Blood pressure readings measure the force that circulating blood exerts on the walls of the arteries. The two numbers, expressed as a fraction, show the degree and the range of the force. The top number is systolic pressure. That’s blood pressure as the heart contracts. The bottom number, known as diastolic pressure, reflects blood pressure while the heart is at rest.
Blood pressure varies throughout the day. Readings are affected by…
