I've been sold BP meds numerous times , have had much higher numbers when eating bread and dairy too often - cut that sheet out and exercise.

 

The first time I went for a checkup in Thailand involved a two hour trip, stress finding a parking space and a strange hospital. Easy meat for the hospital, I had BP around 160+, so they put me in a wheelchair and, blah, blah blah, one hour later and a good few Baht lighter, I had BP prescriptions. There's one born every minute. didn't take them for long.

That was 12 years ago, now at the age of 77 I started getting high readings so I consented to taking meds again, BP is now in the safe range, probably meaning I'll die of something else. 

On 8/7/2025 at 9:35 PM, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Agree 100% - the current 'recommended' levels are all way too low. They are all compromised by massive pharma 'investments' made in the thousands of billions of dollars heart related pill taking business. 

As you age, 120/80 is a bit unrealistic for normal due to arteries hardening and other insufficiencies.  At 59, I was knocking on the door of the high blood pressure levels.  Have been taking this for the last 8 years after reading the results of a large study  telmisartan (20 milligrams), amlodipine (2.5 milligrams), and chlorthalidone (12.5 milligrams). Basically 1/2 of the least amount pill I can get, so have to pill cut.

 

Taken daily, I am dialed into the 120/80-ish range with no obvious side affects and about $.45/day here in Thailand.  A few years ago, the pharm industry came out with a triple pill that has 2 out of the 3 ingredients I'm using with the third ingredient doing exactly the same this as the 3rd ingredient I'm using only now they can patent the pill where my cocktail is all off patent drugs.

On 8/7/2025 at 12:50 PM, NickyLouie said:

the lowest #'s possible sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies.

 

140/80 was the normal for years and years prior .........

And? It's still valid if you're over 75.

On 8/8/2025 at 1:31 PM, GarryP said:

I suffer from white coat syndrome to some degree. But I found that Sheryl's suggestion on another thread worked well if you are going to have your blood pressure checked in a hospital or clinic. Sit down and try to relax for 5 minutes or more and do the 5 breathing exercise. Breath in counting from one to fine, then breath out counting from one to five. Repeat five times. 

I am convinced I was misdiagnosed by a doctor with high blood pressure, when it was actually white coat syndrome. It took me a year or so to realize I did not need medication at all.

 

I consult a cardiologist every six months. I take a weeks' worth of morning and evening readings measured at home with me.

On 8/9/2025 at 4:24 PM, DrPhibes said:

As you age, 120/80 is a bit unrealistic for normal due to arteries hardening and other insufficiencies. 

Uhh, I'm over 70 and my arteries don't appear to be hard in the slightest.

 

I think your point may be that in modern society older people tend to be awfully unhealthy, and high blood pressure is one aspect of this.  It's hardly inevitable

On 8/8/2025 at 1:52 AM, still kicking said:

So what do you call a happy life? Happy to be alive at nearly 80 and have a wonderful Thai wife for 22years, what else can you wish for?

10 more years, I'm only 70 yrs old 

 

My BP is consistently lower than 120/80 ... at rest.

11 hours ago, retiree said:

Uhh, I'm over 70 and my arteries don't appear to be hard in the slightest.

 

I think your point may be that in modern society older people tend to be awfully unhealthy, and high blood pressure is one aspect of this.  It's hardly inevitable

Not relevant to death IMHO.

Everyone I knew that died, perfectly healthy until 4 months or less before death.

Is this BP test done everywhere in the world these days ?

 

or is it just in Thailand, see a Dr, Dentist, Eye Dr = must first have BP taken - if it is 165 or over  a porter is called and they bring a bed, often 30 or more beds clutter up the waiting room for an hour or so

 

Remember a few years ago going to the Dentist, 1st was BP test, so say to high so Dentist could not do anything...

 

Last Friday went to the Hospital Dentist, walk in sit and do the BP - 170/69 did not bother taking the slip to reception just sat for 10 mins and did the test again 136/72

 

Keep a chart on PC for years...  BP up and down, but over the month  = July 2025 worked out as average  134/61 

15 minutes ago, ignis said:

Is this BP test done everywhere in the world these days ?

Unfortunately, no.

It should be done everywhere in the world. 

Many, many places don't bother. Not good.

34 minutes ago, ignis said:

Is this BP test done everywhere in the world these days ?

 

Not uncommon.  See e.g. this trial run in UK:

• https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/09/blood-pressure-checks-at-the-dentist-and-optician-to-catch-those-at-risk-of-heart-attacks-and-strokes/

People often think of this as some kind of "nanny state" intrusion (My hypertension is my business!) but it's more a cost-cutting measure -- the state ends up paying or subsidizing the cost of care down the road.  

59 minutes ago, ignis said:

Is this BP test done everywhere in the world these days ?

 

or is it just in Thailand, see a Dr, Dentist, Eye Dr = must first have BP taken - if it is 165 or over  a porter is called and they bring a bed, often 30 or more beds clutter up the waiting room for an hour or so

 

Remember a few years ago going to the Dentist, 1st was BP test, so say to high so Dentist could not do anything...

 

Last Friday went to the Hospital Dentist, walk in sit and do the BP - 170/69 did not bother taking the slip to reception just sat for 10 mins and did the test again 136/72

 

Keep a chart on PC for years...  BP up and down, but over the month  = July 2025 worked out as average  134/61 

I go to the state hospital every 4 months to get more meds and when I get out of the car a porter takes me in a wheelchair to reception (at 81 I have osteo arthritis in both knees and a problem walking) where I take my BP despite taking it at home a couple of hours earlier. They also ask me for my weight, taken every morning. The only problem I have at the hospital is deciding which BP machine to use. Sometimes I just sit and a nurse turns up with a mobile BP machine on a trolley.

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not relevant to death IMHO.

Everyone I knew that died, perfectly healthy until 4 months or less before death.

 

didnt you mention that most of your friends die in their 60s?

that's not a normal lifespan for humans. it's much higher.

so i don't believe you. 

 

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

didnt you mention that most of your friends die in their 60s?

that's not a normal lifespan for humans. it's much higher.

so i don't believe you. 

 

It's certainly a normal lifespan for obese alcoholics,  who support their lifestyle by lots of physical inactivity,  sweet and fatty ultraprocessed food, recreational drugs including smoking, unsafe sex etc. 

So you are a bit generalizing

 

Now, I cannot speak for Britman as I don't know his friends

 

9 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

didnt you mention that most of your friends die in their 60s?

that's not a normal lifespan for humans. it's much higher.

so i don't believe you. 

 

People seems to die younger in Thailand out of expats who are social. Smoking and drinking every day and quite a few of them relate to their family history, and say it doesnt matter since they are doomed anyway because of their genes. Well, at least their excuse

11 hours ago, Hummin said:

People seems to die younger in Thailand out of expats who are social. Smoking and drinking every day and quite a few of them relate to their family history, and say it doesnt matter since they are doomed anyway because of their genes. Well, at least their excuse

 

Obesity increases risk of all-cause mortality because the illnesses are all related to each other.

It's all metabolic syndrome - based.

But one of us may be more genetically predisposed to cancer and another may be more genetically predisposed to diabetes.  The expression differs from one individual to another.

But it all starts with metabolic syndrome. 

It's hard work though to keep the body healthy. A lot of people will not put in all that effort.

I'm still struggling, but working on it. 

Got another health scare recently and need to step up my game. 

Man it's bloody hard work. 

 

 

5 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

Obesity increases risk of all-cause mortality because the illnesses are all related to each other.

It's all metabolic syndrome - based.

But one of us may be more genetically predisposed to cancer and another may be more genetically predisposed to diabetes.  The expression differs from one individual to another.

But it all starts with metabolic syndrome. 

It's hard work though to keep the body healthy. A lot of people will not put in all that effort.

I'm still struggling, but working on it. 

Got another health scare recently and need to step up my game. 

Man it's bloody hard work. 

 

 

 

My point is, the common excuse for not pulling themselves together is their life trauma of losing a parent in young age because of illness. That’s why they continue to have an unhealthy lifestyle because they see no point in changing the family history 

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

It's hard work though to keep the body healthy.

 

A lot of people will not put in all that effort.

I find it quite easy, and I'm a LPOS, when it comes to exercise.

 

Staying healthy really is just common sense.  Apparently some just don't have it, or care enough to exercise it.

 

I abused the hell out of my body and pushed it to it's limits, both physically and chemically.   You just realize, you can only do that so long, as I no longer bounce like I used to, and the liver, kidneys, lungs can only take so much abuse, before it affects their performance.  So slowed & stopped 15+ years ago of abasing them.  Give them plenty of time recover, before old age kicks in, and they deteriorate on their one.

 

Even got a few brain cells left.

 

If you've been obese, or still obese ... nuff said.   If still drinking alcohol, any, or habitually smoking, then you really don't have any common sense.   

 

Diet is just simple moderation, and as many whole foods as possible.  Just less junk food, or none, but that's not easy.

 

Really do need to know and understand your blood work numbers, and adjust lifestyle to healthy levels.

I've read every word above as I do my BP reading daily & keep a chart on which I chronicle my weight on the 1st of each month. Also I clock when I start/finish a litre of Gin (13/14 days); how many times/when I excercise. 

 

Now my question to all those above is, about my Diastolic reading which is low. (often in the mid 60s).  Today 118/68 PR 66.  Aged 82.75 - should I be concerned?

29 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I've read every word above as I do my BP reading daily & keep a chart on which I chronicle my weight on the 1st of each month. Also I clock when I start/finish a litre of Gin (13/14 days); how many times/when I excercise. 

 

Now my question to all those above is, about my Diastolic reading which is low. (often in the mid 60s).  Today 118/68 PR 66.  Aged 82.75 - should I be concerned?

Mine this morning  116/61  PR  61  age 75  

yesterday 130/72  PR 60

 

think also depends on the time you wake up, this morning tested 04:15 - yesterday tested 07:30, one day last week wake late so tested at 09:30  - 155/82  PR 66 

 

was told by a Dr  - A diastolic blood pressure of somewhere between 90 and 60 is good in older folks.

 

So guess we are OK with diastolic blood pressure reading in the 60's

so far this month lowest diastolic blood pressure was 53 the highest 82

 

alcohol - don't drink, did have a small Shandy 34 years ago.

junk food - maybe twice a month

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

I've read every word above as I do my BP reading daily & keep a chart on which I chronicle my weight on the 1st of each month. Also I clock when I start/finish a litre of Gin (13/14 days); how many times/when I excercise. 

 

Now my question to all those above is, about my Diastolic reading which is low. (often in the mid 60s).  Today 118/68 PR 66.  Aged 82.75 - should I be concerned?

You should not be concerned in the slightest.

 

 I am 81.25 and my median of 5 BP check this morning was 125/65/78 which is well within the safe and healthy range as is yours.

 

The ranges are an average of thousands of younger peoples BP. Most of whom are younger than we are, but having read up on the subject there are less of of elders to measure.

As we get older it gets harder to do things. As an example in my 20s I could easily hump a 50kg sack of potatoes. at 81 I have a problem lifting 20kg of anything/ In my 60s I could spend 3 hours a day, every day cutting the grass and scrub on 2 rai. Now due to osteo-arthritis of both knees, at 81 I can't cut the grass anymore.

3 hours ago, mikebell said:

Today 118/68 PR 66.  Aged 82.75 - should I be concerned?

No.

 

(But, are you sure your age is 82.75 and not, maybe, 82.748? )

1 minute ago, Lorry said:

No.

 

(But, are you sure your age is 82.75 and not, maybe, 82.747?)

83 on October 4th.

9 minutes ago, mikebell said:

83 on October 4th.

Sorry error post

Just now, chickenslegs said:

82 years and 276 days

82.756164384 years old

Thank you; my guestimate was .01 wrong?

1 minute ago, mikebell said:

Thank you; my guestimate was .01 wrong?

And my calculation was also wrong. 

 

Should be 82 years and 225 days

82.616438356 years

On 8/8/2025 at 6:16 PM, ronnie50 said:

I actually do believe that if you need BP meds or lipid meds you should take them, but only if you are consistently above 140/80. That's my own view anyway.

I'd rather take meds and preserve my lifestyle, which I enjoy.

10 hours ago, Peter Crow said:

I'd rather take meds and preserve my lifestyle, which I enjoy.

I enjoy party food and Music, but I'm not teenager or in in my twenties anymore, and enjoy a bit more healthy lifestyle which is as much addictive as anything else. Do we really know a good life of we never tried? 

On 8/13/2025 at 9:15 AM, KhunLA said:

10 more years, I'm only 70 yrs old 

 

My BP is consistently lower than 120/80 ... at rest.

BP should be taken at rest.   This AM, woke, morning P, check BP after, and 130.

 

Sit back down in bed, pet dog, instantly lowers BP, open internet, 5 ish mins later 119/65 P50.  Check my usual sites, then scroll thru 10 hr of AN, somehow still awake, and unlike many, BP goes down, then 15 mins later, BP back to normal, 110 ish for me... 

 

 

BP always high at the docs or hosp, as they seem to like taking it as soon as you walk in.   Which is usually a short rest after walking a bit, which may even include stairs if at the local hospital, as I don't wait for elevators or use, if only a couple flight of stairs.

 

Always 130s or even 140s.  Like when the intelligent nurse tell you do it again if 15 minutes.  Now I just do it at home that AM, and show them a snap of.

 

I always wait outside for ten minutes first, so they don't do it right after I've walked fifteen minutes from the MRT and up a flight of stairs.

 

44 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

BP always high at the docs or hosp, as they seem to like taking it as soon as you walk in. 

 

Your pulse rate of 49. Has a doctor ever commented about that to you before?