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Blood Pressure difference
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dlbeck posted:
I have always had low blood pressure. It was always hard to hear the blood pressure in my left arm. 4 weeks a go my BP went from 105/70 to 137/110 and my doctor put me on Lisinpril. My question though is why is the BP so different between my left and right arm. My Right arm pressure can read 137/110 while my left reads 112/70. For the last 3 weeks I have notice that there is a 20-40 degree difference between the pressures. I also take Hydrocortisone 20 mg daily for my Addison's disease and Baclofen 10 mg for the spazms from my MS. Could either of these meds or conditions be contributing to my High BP or the variant?
2 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Blood Pressure differenceI have always had low blood pressure. It was always hard to hear the blood pressure in my left arm. 4 weeks a go my BP went from 105/70 to 137/110 and my doctor put me on Lisinpril. My question though is why is the BP so different between my left and right arm. My Right arm pressure can read 137/110 while my left reads 112/70. For the last 3 weeks I have notice that there is a 20-40 degree difference between the pressures. I also take Hydrocortisone 20 mg daily for my Addison's disease and Baclofen 10 mg for the spazms from my MS. Could either of these meds or conditions be contributing to my High BP or the variant?
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Byroney_WebMD_Staff responded:
Dear dlbeck, Please ask your doctor(s) to address this question for you. Sometimes there are underlying problems causing such a significant difference in blood pressures, and it might be a good idea to have those ruled out. This is a really good question, but requires an expert physician answer. Yours in health, Byroney
Report This| Share this:Blood Pressure differenceDear dlbeck, Please ask your doctor(s) to address this question for you. Sometimes there are underlying problems causing such a significant difference in blood pressures, and it might be a good idea to have those ruled out. This is a really good question, but requires an expert physician answer. Yours in health, Byroney
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Wildskier responded:
Hello Debora. Uneven blood pressures in arms is a symptom of a very rare disease called Takayasu's arteritis. It is a form of vasculitis that is autoimmune in nature. The uneven BPs are one of its hallmarks. The disease attacks the aorta and its major branches, including the subclavian, carotidid, iliac, femoral, and renal arteries. The inflammation causes closures, scaring, and aneurisms. It is a tricky disease to diagnose because of its rarity. 2 or 3 people in a million. And is tricky to treat and get into and keep in remission. It is a disease that is best treated and managed by a knowledgeable medical team that is experienced in the disease. The centers in the U. S. most experienced in the disease are actively research it. They are: Boston University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic. Diagnosis is based on MRAs, blood work (SED and CRP), and vascular studies. Other hallmarks of the disease include weight loss, fevers, fatigue/malaise, weak pulses, joint aches, jaw pain, cramping arms with repetitive movement (washing hair, for example), and TIAs (ministrokes). Renal artery involvement could explain elevated blood pressure. It can also cause anemia of chronic disease. A good place to research the disease is www.vasculitisfoundation.org. In the meantime, make sure your doctor will work with you on a proper diagnosis of the cause of your problems. Good luck, Leslie
Report This| Share this:Blood Pressure differenceHello Debora. Uneven blood pressures in arms is a symptom of a very rare disease called Takayasu's arteritis. It is a form of vasculitis that is autoimmune in nature. The uneven BPs are one of its hallmarks. The disease attacks the aorta and its major branches, including the subclavian, carotidid, iliac, femoral, and renal arteries. The inflammation causes closures, scaring, and aneurisms. It is a tricky disease to diagnose because of its rarity. 2 or 3 people in a million. And is tricky to treat and get into and keep in remission. It is a disease that is best treated and managed by a knowledgeable medical team that is experienced in the disease. The centers in the U. S. most experienced in the disease are actively research it. They are: Boston University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic. Diagnosis is based on MRAs, blood work (SED and CRP), and vascular studies. Other hallmarks of the disease include weight loss, fevers, fatigue/malaise, weak pulses, joint aches, jaw pain, cramping arms with repetitive movement (washing hair, for example), and TIAs (ministrokes). Renal artery involvement could explain elevated blood pressure. It can also cause anemia of chronic disease. A good place to research the disease is www.vasculitisfoundation.org. In the meantime, make sure your doctor will work with you on a proper diagnosis of the cause of your problems. Good luck, Leslie
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