I have a question some people here might be able to answer -
I’m 19, don’t smoke, don’t drink, and I’ve been a vegetarian for years. But you already knew that.
Well today I went to the hospital (over something other than bloodpressure) and they told me my bloodpressure was something like 180/110. I told them I didn’t do anything to make it so high and they checked a few hours later and it was still that high.
The doctor there said I should “reduce my stress level” (as if it’s that easy!) and/or take some pills for high blood pressure.
Is it normal for people my age to have to take bloodpressure pills?
It’s possible it’s two blips, as a response to hsopitals.
Exercise is good, lowering weight is good.
Generally getting quite fit helps and is
worth doing in any case; lots of psychological
benefits, for sure. Best
In matters of health, we are all very much individuals, with each our own specific needs and challenges. I’m not sure a word like “normal” even applies.
There are some very mild medicines they could start you on that have little or no side effects at all, that should bring it down nicely.
And don’t get to thinking it’s somehow your fault: I doubt very seriously it is. You can do everything right and still develop chronic health issues.
I was 33 when I had a heart attack. A 99%+ occlusion of my LAD(the big artery that runs down the front of everyones heart) The other arteries were 100% open. That one segment (in me at least) is genetically predisposed to plaque and the stuff that goes along with it. They reconstructed over 75% of that vessel with stainless steel stents and angeoplaste. So now I’m 35 and on a regular regimine of diet, exercise, cholesterol pills, and niacin that will help change some of the physical characteristics of my blood and keep my blood vessels less likely to clog.
Just the cards we’re dealt. :roll: A generation from now, there will be genetic “vaccines” against this kind of thing. Get a shot, take a pill and never have to worry about heart disease, stroke, liver or kidney disfunciton.
For me, watching my thoughts, filtering the news I let in, watching my actions (especially avoiding petty arguments and disputes), going for long walks and bike rides, all help lower my blood pressure and reduce my stress level. And of course, my music is my number one way to process difficult news, or tragic events.
It sounds like you are watching your food diet. It may be helpful to take a similar approach to your mental diet. People sometimes have high stress due to external events. Others seek it. Watch what news you let in, what you think about during the day. You have control over your thoughts and your actions. Observe what you get worked up about and evaluate whether it is worth it, especially if your mental and physical health is at stake.
Observe yourself in the company of various friends and relatives. There are people that rub others the wrong way, and often times there are ways to limit the exposure or irritation.
Some folks get worked up by listening to talk radio, or the latest court case, or the presidential election, or world events. None of this is worth a person’s mental health or physical health. All of it external environment that a person has no control over.
There are also specific activities that lower stress. Whistle playing, especially slow meditative music is one of them. Others include yoga, Tai Chi, meditation.
All good advice. And, just to repeat, it’s
possible it was too over readings.
There are blood pressure machines
in supermarkets, etc. You might
check and see. Some people don’t
like hospitals. Best
Assuming that your high blood pressure readings are not just “white coat syndrome” it’s important that you keep your eye on. Not for nothing is highpertension known as the “silent killer”.
The good news is that lifestyle changes will certainly help.
The amount of salt that we eat has a direct effect on our blood pressure. The more salt we eat, the higher our blood pressure. This is true, not only in people with high blood pressure, but also in people with normal blood pressure.
Be careful with that excercise; make sure that you don’t overdo it. Any activity that you do should leave you slightly out of breath, but you should still be able to talk. You should also be feeling warm and sweating a little. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, dancing and jogging are all good activities, but the most important thing is to do something that you enjoy as that way you are more likely to stick to it. Incidently enthusiatic whistle playing can be excellent excercise.
Being regularly active can lower blood pressure by an average of 4-9mmHg systolic but to maintain this effect you will need to stay active.
Do take good care of yourself and know that it can be done. I used to have readings a little higher than yours but now I average 120/69 and I’m considerably older than you and have the added complication of diabetes.
James-- are you making a value judgement about Cranberry ?
(puts his Dr. hat back on…)
Seriously, this is pretty high BP and should be followed carefully and controlled. Cran, you can buy a BP cuff and take your own pressures quite easily. Cutting out salt(read labels of prepared foods!) and similar lifestyle changes can help, but if your pressure stays that high, count on some simple meds. With generics, they need not be too expensive. The alternative, to be blunt, could be a stroke or death. I don’t want to excessively worry you, but do want to emphasize how important this is. Good news is that blood pressure is pretty easily managed these days. Get on it today
I’ll second that, that’s a pretty high BP level you’ve got there and you must lower it. If you can manage by exercise and diat alone, all the better, if not you might want to try taking a generic ACE-inhibitor. Your GP will be able to help you out there.
Best, Amar.
I was taught (School of Health, USC) that the lowest reading would be when you wake up in the morning, still in bed, after a good nights sleep, and not having eaten late the night before. Not particularly indicative of average BP though. Taking BP too many times, back to back, produces inaccurate results. Waiting a few hours was right.
Certain FOODS have an effect, like medicine, to raise and lower BP. Anyone ever hear of the benifits of garlic? A newer and “good” medical/nutrition book I was reading said GARLIC lowers blood presure, reduces cholesteral, and thins the blood. My neighbors dog once started chewing on a poisonous mushroom someone had kicked over in the yard. It started acting really weird, so they took it to the vet. BP was WAY above normal, also heart rate.
Some edible MUSHROOMS, like the maitake and chiitake mushrooms are known to lower BP. Certain drugs, like THESE can have a neg. effect on both BP and the heart rate.
I’d strongly stress, as others have, that while life-style controls are preferable, meds are a lot ‘cheaper’ than stroke or heart attack and you seem to be risking outcomes like that. BTW, are you overweight? Losing weight can help too if that’s a factor although. Without having actually met you, I’d be surprsied if weight were a factor.
Meds, BTW, aren’t necessarily a life sentence. If you need a lifestyle adjustment, you might find that you need meds for a couple of months but can control BP through lifestyle changes thereafter. It all depends on what’s causing the problem.
I’ve got white-coat syndrome, i., e., what Jim suggested is a possibility for Cran. My BP goes up around 20/10 when it’s taken in a clinical setting. One doctor suggested taking it at the grocery store or pharmacy several times a week. It does occasionally spike (I have two unhealthy habits: beer and tea), but is for the most part normal.
One thing: there was a report a couple of years ago that white-coat syndrome is actually indicative of something that increases the chance of heart disease. Unfortunately, it was an epidemiological study that had no fundamental-science component, so they really don’t know the mechanism that causes the increased risk.
180/110 is a very high number. Don’t worry about it (that’s the worst thing you can do), but do start exercising. Exercise is good for your physical health, but great for your mental health. Don’t necessarily pick the thing that’s best for you physically, but something you enjoy. That way you’ll stick with it. If exercise and diet don’t do the job, think of medication.
Cran, when was the last time you got your BP checked? Was it normal then? Had it always been before, or did you have high readings (or increasing slowly over time)? Your history could be at least as important as a single day’s readings. I agree with the others that it’s a good idea to keep an eye on it over time. Not something to ignore or mess around with!
Lorenzo,
That seems strange to me as some of my highest readings are in the morning and lowest in the late evening.
Short duration exercise (15-20min) often raises my blood pressure and long duration (1+ hour) sharply reduces it.
Listen to what people have said. You didn’t say what your pulse rate was but if that is high to you really need to do something about it. My BP was 160 over 80 and my pulse 105. I had a heart attack. I had Bypass surgery. Now I have eliminated as much salt as possible from my diet and also as much satured fat as possible. I lost over 40 pounds. I go to the gym at least 3 times a week and walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes and lift weights for another 20 minutes. I also take medication. My BP is now 116 over 60 and my pulse 70. A man came in for emergency bypass surgery the same day I had mine. He had 2 blockages over 90%. He was 47 years old, weighed 147 pounds and was a vegetarian. In most states there are clinics where you can get treatment and medication free. Please look into it.
There’s probably a lot of variables, like one’s sleeping hrs…night owls vs. early risers. Or, people who only get 4-5 hrs. sleep vs. those with normal patterns. Meds can come into the picture too.
Here’s one possible explanation, taken from a British men’s health organization. I don’t know if this is THE explanation or not, but it sounds right. SOURCE.
“Why is my blood pressure so high in the mornings?”
Q. I am a hypertensive patient. My blood pressure goes very high in the mornings. On the average 160/102. I am on medication which brings my pressure to relatively normal during the day and sometimes till 10:00pm at night but as soon as I wake up around 7:00am, my pressure is high. No doctor has been able to tell me why? Can you please?
A. “Blood pressure has a circadian rhythm. In other words it changes according to the body clock just like many hormones. During the night it falls to a low level and hormones such as adrenaline, which influences heart rate and output, also fall. After about 4am there is a steady rise until at around 5am it is back to daytime levels. Adrenaline is also produced which speeds up the heart. This is important because you will soon be vertical after being horizontal for a long time. The heart must compensate by increasing the pressure so blood will reach the brain.”
“Jumping straight out of bed and standing upright can often cause a faint for exactly this reason. Meanwhile the medication you took the day before has more or less worn off and your heart is maintaining a higher pressure. Once you take your medicine, which is probably a mixture of drugs, the blood pressure falls. Taking your medicine at night may be the answer but it carries the risk of a faint in the morning. It is also least effective during the time when you need it most - during the day. Do not change the way you take your medicines without first asking your doctor. Under no circumstances stop them suddenly.”
“…It is also least effective during the time when you need it most - during the day. Do not change the way you take your medicines without first asking your doctor. Under no circumstances stop them suddenly.”
This may not be true for all cases…
I’m told most heart attacks and deaths due to heart failure occur in the early morning hours. My Doctor and Pharmacist both agree hypertension medicines take several hours to be absorbed into the bloodstream before the effects are noticed. Taking the medicine before bed maximizes their effect for those who have higher BP in the morning.
And yes… don’t stop suddenly… you may have to wean off even when changing to a different product.
Unless they changed it on me when I wasn’t looking (a distinct possibility, mind you), a true diagnosis of hypertension can’t be made until you have 3 high readings on 3 different days. But certainly, a BP like the one you have is cause for concern.
The suggestions everyone has made are good, although salt intake doesn’t ALWAYS affect BP. While it can make a significant difference in some people, others it doesn’t make a difference. Certainly doesn’t hurt to cut down on it, however! Exercise is a great thing.
A word of caution about the machines at places like Wal-Mart - they are notoriously not always very accurate. They are not bad for monitoring a fairly stable BP, but it is best to have your BP checked by a professional. (By the way, most medical professionals don’t take BP’s properly - but that’s another story). Home cuffs can be great, especially if you have white coat syndrome, but you have to be careful in the one you select for that too, because not all of them are accurate. Your doctor should be able to give you some suggestions. You might also want to check with your local public health department - many of them have programs in place for checking BP’s, etc, (for free) or if they don’t, they most likely know who does.
As to the WHY, like others have said, who knows? Some people are definitely genetically predisposed to high BP. It’s the same with cholesterol levels - some people have high readings even with good dietary practices.
There are so many different medications and many are very inexpensive. There are also some great programs to help people who can’t afford their medications. These are offered by the drug manufacturers and require filling out some forms with your doctor. The qualifications vary for different medications, but if you want more info on how to get free medications, there are a couple of great websites:
A 99%+ occlusion of my LAD(the big artery that runs down the front of everyones heart) The other arteries were 100% open. That one segment (in me at least) is genetically predisposed to plaque and the stuff that goes along with it. They reconstructed over 75% of that vessel with stainless steel stents and angeoplaste. So now I’m 35 and on a regular regimine of diet, exercise, cholesterol pills, and niacin that will help change some of the physical characteristics of my blood and keep my blood vessels less likely to clog.