What Is Your Blood Pressure

[UncleDonald]

Are you doing anything about it?

[ProThaiExpat]

I have had elevated blood pressure all my adult life and took meds until I retired. In Hawaii it was only marginally high, so didn't treat.

Now it is a little high and latest research indicates that older people should really watch systolic pressure, not so in the old days.

I take a diruetic and a beta blocker, generic and they control the pressure well, although it is usually a couple of points high, ie. 145/82 on the second reading.

If it gets any higher after a five minute rest prior to measuring, I will go to doctor for lopressor or one of these new more preferred drugs, the name slips my mind at the moment. The internet is replete with information on the issue.

[ThaiPauly]

Mine is too high, I am trying to reduce it. I have cut out all alcohol intake and am trying to get excersise, but it is very difficult as even swimming has a bad effect on my back pain. All I can do is walk, but the Doctors say that is is no great cause for concern, they are worried about other organs rather than my heart !!

[meom]

Don't care really but I guess it's to low; whenever I cut myself I have to take 10 kneebends before I start bleeding.

[Tolley]

Had it checked today for the first time in years 125/70....the secret is lots of garlic

[merlin1]

Here are some natural suggestions. I've seen some of the Vitamin C studies. Takes 10 pts off. Usually you have to take over 1000 mg. a day/

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/news/viewarti...1513,14,00.html

[jimbbc]

I got dramatic results from a lifestyle and a medication change.

I've been having extreme fatigue for a few years and the doctors could not find a problem, finally I asked an internist friend and he suggested I was getting a sodium overload by eating out every meal. He also said my medication, atenolol, a beta blocker would cause this.

I eat at home most meals and try not to eat anything that is prpared in a factory, seems they use salt as a preservitive. I also cut my atenolol from 100mg to 50mg. The result has been a dramatic increase in energy.

Check the labels in the supermarket and you will be surprised. A side benefit is I'm losing weight.

[DJ Moore]

REF::::::What Is Your Blood Pressure

========================

Systolic 125

Diastolic 85

[buadhai]

Before I retired my BP was consistently about 150/90, so I started on meds.

After I retired I started taking my own BP. It was low. I quit the meds.

Now it is always below 130/80.

I'm happy with that and happy to be off the meds.

I am 56 years old. Don't smoke. Drink a bit. Work out an hour a day. Eat whatever I want.

And, to mix systems: 5'11", 78 kilos.

[Wolfie]

So 157/117 isnt so good then? Oops

[merlin1]

My b/p is about 100/60, sometimes lower. I feel faint when I get up too quickly from sitting.

I'm low energy most of the time, borderline depressed as well come to think of it, so that may be a factor in the abnormally low boold pressure. In some countries, this is apparently a bonafide medical condition deserving of treatment, pity and paid leave perhaps. In other countries, however, it just means I'm a lazy good fer nuthin'.

Edited September 24, 2005 by merlin1

[sugarbaker]

The normal reading is 120/80. That is the usual/normal guide for Hypertension.

For those aged 50+ , the acceptable range should not be more than 140/90.

That is to say, you are normal, but on the higher normal side.

Some doctors may advise you to start on medication, and some doctors may not

advise you to do so. It all depends on the doctors.

For me my reading was higher than 140/90. Much higher. But now, I am not medication.

I tab Ace blocker, plus 12.5mg of durietic, daily........ and my reading is below the 140/90 level.

Different drugs react on different people. It was try and error until I got the correct medication.

Finally, all drugs do have side effects. You have to monitor your side effects.

I am not a doctor. My advice is always consult your doctor.

[lampard10]

Mine has been 85/90 over 125/130 for as long as I can remember. Not bad for a fat bastaad eh?

[sugarbaker]

Hi lampard,

You reading of 80/90 seems OK to a certain extent (to a lay man like me).

That is to say your Systolic is 80 and your Diastolic is 90.

Your Diastolic 90 is on the boderline.

Take care of your diet. Eat less salt.

Always consult your doctor regularly.

[sugarbaker]

Hi merlin,

Your diastolic is 60....... and if you are male and aged over 50 plus,

then you maybe suffering from low blood pressure.

Under such conditions, you maybe very prone to fainting. It needs

medical advice. Do see a doctor for proper treatment.

[UncleDonald]

Uncle Donald, puffing his way up the BTS stairs and not caring to have a stroke while yet in his youthful sixties, decided to experimentally adjust some habits, and some other non-directed stuff, with these results. Red is systolic, green diastolic, purple daily ounces of beer consumption, and an index of weight at the top.

[Orion76]

My b/p is about 100/60, sometimes lower.  I feel faint when I get up too quickly from sitting.

I'm low energy most of the time, borderline depressed as well come to think of it, so that may be a factor in the abnormally low boold pressure.  In some countries, this is apparently a bonafide medical condition deserving of treatment, pity and paid leave perhaps.  In other countries, however, it just means I'm a lazy good fer nuthin'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How old are you? If you're young that's not too low I think, actually it's pretty good.

Getting dizzy when standing up may also mean you have anemia.

Do you eat red meat? Have you had a CBC done since you've been getting dizzy?

[otherstuff1957]

I don't remember what my numbers are, but it's high!

The funny thing is that I'm in very good shape 6'1(185cm) and about 180lbs(82kilos), exercise regularly, have plenty of energy and have no history of high blood pressure in my family. OK, actually my mother had high blood pressure, but she didn't develop it until she was over 60 and was both inactive and overweight. I'm 48, but quite fit and I don't smoke or drink too much.

Anyway, I'm watching my diet and keeping up the exercising.

[lampard10]

Hi lampard,

You reading of 80/90 seems OK to a certain extent (to a lay man like me).

That is to say your Systolic is 80 and your Diastolic is 90.

Your Diastolic 90 is on the boderline.

Take care of your diet. Eat less salt.

Always consult your doctor regularly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It doesn't mean anything like that. My blood pressure is always between 120/85 and 130/90

[merlin1]

Orion,

Thanks for the ideas. I'm 45 and in good shape. Exercise regularly. I don't eat red meat much, but even when I did, I tended to feel lightheaded. Always been that way, although my b/p wasn't always on the low side.

Whats a CBC?

[ilyushin]

Just had a physical this week and bp was 150/90. Happy it now the weekend.

[Orion76]

Orion,

Thanks for the ideas.  I'm 45 and in good shape. Exercise regularly.  I don't eat red meat much, but even when I did, I tended to feel lightheaded.  Always  been that way, although my b/p wasn't always on the low side.

Whats a CBC?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CBC is a complete blood count, incl. count of red blood cells. If your red blood cell count is too low you have anemia which causes dizzyness on standing up. One cause of anemia is iron deficiency which you may have if you don't eat much red meat and other iron containing foods, but anemia can have other causes too.

Having a CBC done at least once a year is a good idea because it can be an indicator of various health problems.

[Orion76]

Just had a physical this week and bp was 150/90. Happy it now the weekend.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's usually my BP as well in the doctors office, but when I test at home it's usually 115/70.

Hospitals are a bad place for testing BP as even mild anxiety can temporarily raise your BP

[ProThaiExpat]

Orion76 raises a good point. The first blood pressure reading in a medical setting is termed by cariologists as the "Drs. office syndrome". It is the rare individual that does not experience a temporary increase in resting blood pressure while in a doctors office.

Prior to treating a paitient, the wise doctor takes many pressures over a fifteen minute period with the patient with his arm at shoulder level before a diagnosis is made.

Having "lived with" elevated blood pressure, according to current medical thinking, anything over 140/80, my entire adult life, statistcally I was supposed to have my first heart attack or stroke by age 39. I am what is termed a Friedman Type A personality (driven, high achiever). Freidman's research establishd a link between high blood pressure and adrenalin in the blood stream.

The thinking goes that the adrenilin junkie, creates unconsciously, an artificial high level of adrenalin in the blood stream as he gets used to this "high" of increaded bodily activity common when ones adrenalin is high. The "tennis pump" you see so often these days, is a physical effort to "jack up" or increase your adrenalin to increase performance.

I have a BP monitor at home and find that the third successive reading is my "resting blood pressure" which is what is supposed to be the relevant one.

My issue is that the medical determination of 14/80 as being the correct level over which one is judged to have high blood pressure allows for no variation among people. It would seem to me that some individuals might have higher blood pressure that is "normal" for them.

Since is is the wearing down of your vascular tree by abnormal blood pressure levels that is the basis of keeping pressure to the arificially determined level, what about the guy who has an abnormally strong vascular tree. ie. smokers who live past 100 and never have lung cancer.

Most doctors would start treating anyone with persistent high blood pressure, anything over 140/80. Those of us who have posted over that amount would be candidates for blood pressure reducing medication.

The internet is filled with information on blood pressure control and I would suggest anyone who has high blood pressure or marginally high blood pressure to learn about hypertension.

For me, Doctors have always emphasized that it is the diastolic, lower reading, which is the important one as it is the constant pressure in your vascular tree, the pressure between beats or pumps of the heart.

However, recent studies have shown that in older patients, the systolic pressure is indicative of future health problems.

Thus, I put myself back on diruretics and beta blockers, (five years after retirement I took nothing until my sedentary and over weight lifestyle affected by BP) and now my pressure is rarely over 150/190. To me this is an acceptable or "marginal" elevation and it is accomplished with 50mg of a diruretic and 50mg or a beta blocker. I would not increase the dosage if this level does not hold for years, since ace-inhbitors are the latest advance in blood pressure control and I would see a doctor before taking that drug, as it's side effects are stlll being documented.

[zander]

I don't take my BP regularly. I only do so when I am donating blood, which is every quarterly. Just donated last Thu 29/9 and noted that it was 128/78 so I guess I am pretty normal, thank God

I'm abt 1.79m and weigh 74kg, exercise irregularly and eat practically anything though I do make a conscious effort to avoid red meat as much as possible... and I do take some supplements too!