@Sphygmogirl90 the reason why your physician suggested that you take your blood pressure in both arms is based on a study by Harvard Medical School ( May, 2014 ) in which researchers took blood pressure readings from both arms of nearly 3,400 outwardly healthy men and women aged 40-plus.
Small differences in readings between the right and left arms are normal. In the study, systolic pressure, the higher of the two figures in a blood pressure reading, varied on average by about five points.
But in 10 per cent of patients, there was a difference of ten points or more between arms. These men and women were 38 per cent more likely to have a heart attack, including a fatal one, stroke or related problem during the next 13 years.
It is thought that if there is a big difference between the two readings, the artery supplying the arm with the higher reading is likely to be clogged with fat.This is a sign that the arteries in the heart and brain are also becoming blocked, raising the odds of heart attacks and strokes.
Are you sure your blood pressure is higher lying down , typically blood pressure level is lower while measured in lying position and is higher when measured in sitting position or standing position.
Our heart need to pump to supply blood to brain. While lying down it require less work to pump as the head is in similar level as that of heart and that's why BP level is lower. When sitting or standing our head is lot higher and as thus our heart needs to work harder to supply blood to brain and the BP reading is higher.
RN