Blood Pressure Question

[studentnurse9]

I'm a nursing student and have a question related to blood pressure:

is blood pressure higher when lying down or when standing?

I've asked several RNs who have told me that in a normal person it should be slightly higher than at baseline, but research claims that BP decreases from supine to standing by less than 20mg in a healthy patient. Which one is correct?

Thanks!

[MomRN0913]

BP decreases standing, and increses supine.

[systoly]

Think gravity. Think about dependent edema. Look up TILT test.

[mentalhealthRN]

If you take a BP lying then standing there will be a little drop, or if the person is having orthostatic BP changes then it will drop when they stand 20 points or greater.However this is short term. If you go and take a BP on some one who has been lying flat all night before they get out of bed then compare it to one one hour later after they are up and walking around for an hour the BP lying will be lower. I have seen this in my patients who in psych are totally ambulatory (more then in medical,where they are in the bed most of the time) as well as with myself as I have hypertension. I was told the day I had the first really high BP 10 days after my son was born to lay totally flat, no pillow for some releif from the headache I was having from the high BP. The doctor told me--oldest known treatment for high BP before they had meds was to have the pt lay completely flat,no pillow to lower the BP (not the best treatment but it helps--I have to do it sometimes till more BP meds kick in)-- after some blood work I found out I had newly diagnosed HTN 10 days after my son was born.

Hope this helps. Basically depends on if you are talking short or long term.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

your question is not clearly stated.

[steelydanfan]

Orthosatatic BP's are SOMETIMES reliable. If you have a pt. with severe ASHD, the lying/standing pressures may not change appreciably due to vascular resistance.

Pt's BP may change from one minute to the next by talking, coughing, etc.

If you REALLY need a true reading of stroke volume, an arterial line is the only accurate measure.

[studentnurse9]

your question is not clearly stated.

The first thing I did was state my exact question, then elaborated. There is nothing unclear in the original statement.

[studentnurse9]

Thanks everyone! You were all helpful.

[PraiseMariahCarey]

your question is not clearly stated.

Yes it was clearly stated but don't bother because those that understood answered it already.