Why do BP values of my father vary between palpatory and auscultatory methods?

Hello doctor,

This query is regarding my father. He is 65 years old and hypertensive for the last 15 years. He was on Ramistar 5 mg and Amlodipine 2.5 mg and one diuretic. Recently, his doctor increased his dose to Ramistar 10 mg and Amlodipine 5 mg. I am an MBBS doctor and I check his BP twice daily. I have noticed that his systolic by palpatory is quite low around 110-120 mmHg, but on auscultation, it is 140 to 150 mmHg with diastolic 80-90 mmHg. I do not understand the difference. He is an anxious person and gets very anxious while measuring BP. I take three to four times and it starts with high, but eventually settles to the BP mentioned above. Also, he has BPH and takes Alfusin D. Will this drug decrease the efficiency of BP medicines? I would like to add that he had his stress thallium test 15 days back, which came back normal.