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Hydrocortisone Blood Test
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Hydrocortisone Blood Test
How to establish your average blood pressure as an indicator of adrenal function / hydro-cortisone sufficiency
Blood Pressure varies considerably due to several factors, these include but are not limited to:
To ascertain your average blood pressure, measurements need to be taken sitting/lying and then standing quickly, preferably twice daily, at a regular time. For example, once in the morning when the blood pressure tends to be highest and again in the evening when it tends to be lowest. This more or less corresponds to the level of hydro-cortisone in the blood available for use by the cells in so far as the level of hydro-cortisone in the blood is normally highest in the morning and lowest in the evening and at night, just like the blood pressure. There are other factors that influence blood pressure such as arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and salt deficiency/sufficiency.
The conditions should be similar each time you take the reading. This is important as blood pressure readings vary so much over the day, just going to the doctors and having a reading taken is no way to get an accurate result of your typical blood pressure as just the activity and slight anxiety of visiting the doctor can give a result that is not typical.
Although constantly low blood pressure, Systolic below 100 (see definition below) is often an indicator of hydro-cortisone deficiency, it is not, on its own, a reliable indicator. The most reliable indicator is the difference between the sitting/lying readings and the standing up readings. This is because the blood vessels should contract in the limbs rapidly to cause more blood to reach the brain when standing. In a situation of hydro-cortisone deficiency the rapid contraction of the blood vessels will not occur sufficiently to raise blood pressure and in fact B.P. will be lower for those suffering from hydro-cortisone deficiency.
Note:in some cases the cell reception of hydro-cortisone is poor, so producing effects the same as low blood levels of hydro-cortisone even when the blood levels are actually normal.
Postural hypo-tension (also known as orthostatic hypo-tension) is a drop in blood pressure that occurs upon rising from a horizontal position or sitting position. In marked cases, a feeling of dizziness or light-headedness will occur if standing up fast. To conduct this test
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Lie down or sit down, don’t move about much, for at least 3 minutes.
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Take a blood pressure reading while still horizontal or sitting
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Stand up quicky and take another reading immediately with the cuff still in place.
Normally your blood pressure should rise 10-20 points upon standing. If it drops, particularly by 10 points or more (Systolic and Diastolic), then hydro-cortisone insufficiency is indicated. Generally, the bigger the drop, the greater the adrenal insufficiency.
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Understanding your blood pressure readings
Systolic:The top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts).
Diastolic:The bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).
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It should be noted that all blood pressure monitors occasionally give a completely wrong reading. This is usually due to incorrect placement or tension of the cuff. If a reading is obtained that is significantly abnormal, disregard that reading and reset the position and tension of the cuff and take the reading again. It is important to extend your left arm out when taking blood pressure readings, both standing and sitting. Make sure that your arm/hand is about the same level as the heart. |
