Blood Pressure

U

UT Spring Branch

500+ Posts
I am taking blood pressure medicine - BP was 168 /104 untreated. Don't smoke/I am 5 ' 9" 155 lbs/walk 30 to 45 minutes per day (almost every day)

Last doctor visit was 154 over 100 (not much better) - doctor doubled the dosage after that reading- I guess it will go down. Some of that might have been white coat hypertension

Does anyone take blood pressure medicine and if so any problems (side affects) or stories about taking blood pressure medicine?
 
I take it. No problems other than facing the idea of being on a daily medicine for the next 40-50 years. I am trying to drop another 15 lbs and see if I can come off of it.

I exercise a lot and eat pretty well probably enjoy the beer a bit much but generaly fairly healthy. Sucks to see some really out of shape person who eats fast food 3 times a day and think they don't have high BP and I do. That or they don't even know.
 
I recently had a check up and i was 159/90, which is not so good. Doctor asked me to check it at home and make a daily log. I bought a blood pressure cuff and have been doing it diligently.

Been doing it for about a week, consistently at the same time of day and after not doing anything too strenous for about 15 minutes and i get readings all over the map 109/71, 133/88, 120/81, etc., and nothing close to the reading i got at the doctor's office.

Any one have any idea what's going on?
 
What kind of cuff did you get? If you got a real cheap one, that could be part of the reason. Checking it yourself is not the easiest thing to do in the world. We have a machine at work, I know they aren't the greatest but I get similar results every time.
 
I keep a log. Anytime I viist any doctor (eye, skin, etc.), I make sure I get a reading. I record readings when I donate blood or if we have ahealth fair at the office. When I visit my GP or cardiologist, I give him the sheet so he gets a big picture of my BP. (I include time of day and any other mitigating factors, like just drank a pot of coffee, etc.) The thought of doubling my dosage just beacuse I sat for 45 minutes in a waiting room waiting for the doc to show up making my BP rise is not a good thing. I've told my cardiologist he is the single most harmful influence on my BP!
 
I know that high blood pressure runs in the family (my dad) - and mom has white coat hypertension. I am going to do what you guys say - take readings all of the time and see what I get.
 
next time you go in, bring in your bp unit and they should be able to tell you if itll give you accurate readings. on an outpatient basis, you really have to trend bp over months to get a good idea of whats going on.
 
You need to know about a new med I am taking for BP.

I am in my low 50's. I have been taking several meds for BP for about 15 years with mixed success.

I am in sales and I am a big fan of the Texas Longhorns, so obviously that works strongly against keeping my BP down & it doubles my risk for bad stuff. Anyway, I get on the tread mill 4-5 times a week, but I generally have not moderated my diet salt intake like I should. I am mediocre about taking and keeping track of my BP, but historically it has generally been in the 130 / 85 -90 range (higher at work & on game days) which is way too high.

Recently my Dr. gave me something new that works a lot better. Instead of a traditional BP med, my doc said this treats the hormone that controls BP. My readings have been drastically better: 120 / 70-75 range most of the time.

The drug is: AVAPRO (irbesartan) I take 75 mg (half a tablet) a day. He gave me approx. a year supply of them from a large bag of samples he had from Rx reps. He said this is a fairly expensive drug and he had a lot of samples he needed to give out . Timing is everything.

No bad side effects that I am aware of.

Some of you might want to ask your Dr. about this drug for you... it works for me.
 
I have it, and it certainly seems hereditary in my case. Of all the contributing factors, alcohol is my only vice. Marathon runner, eat right, body fat in single digits, etc. Everyone should be checked on monitored as it's called the Silent Killer.
 
You guys might be interested in the JNC VII treatment guidelines. Basically a comprehensive overview of diagnosis, lifestyle and medication treatment of hypertension.
The Link

The full report has some useful evidence based information on lifestyle changes and the myriad of medication options.
 
JNC guidelines are good but you and your Dr. must remember that there is no right blood pressure med for everyone. You may have to try different ones or different combos to find what works for your body. Different ethnicies respond to different classes differently. African Americans response better to thiazide diuretics for example.

Whatever you do I recommend trying lifestyle modifications for a good 6 months before pharmacotherapy if you're levels are borderline high or just level I. Get a monitor for at home self monitoring. You can test each morning and record the results in a log. The monitor I recommend is:
www.omronhealthcare.com/product/1119-186-blood-pressure-monitors-automatic-with-intellisense-and-ac-adoptor-hem-711acn

If you have a large arm you may need a large cuff monitor instead of that one though. Don't get a manual one, b/c they are hard to use. Don't get a wrist monitor.

Here is a guide to the proper technique to test your BP:
Testing your own BP

Avapro is an ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker. They are similar to ACEI, Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Both are low in SE's except a possible annoying cough. They are not used during pregnancy. I don't believe there are any ARB's that are generic b/c that class of meds came after the ACEI's. There are some common ACEI's that do have cheap generics including Lisinopril and Enalapril. They also have combos that include thiazide diuretics that are available generically and are dirt cheap as far as meds go.

By the way, the average cost of a prescription drug these days is between $60 and $70. If you get something that is available in a generic and you can get it for under $20.....take it and run.
 
Lisinopril is $9.99 for a 3 month supply at HEB with the My HEB Rx Rewards Platinum Card.....$5 one time cost for entire family and pets. beat that.
 
may I suggest you talk to your doctor about taking fish oil on a regular basis?

I have started taking fish oil, and when I am regular with taking it, my BP goes down. It is also great for heart health in general.
 
Just thought I'd say
hornpharmd has a link to the Omron branded BP monitor.
My 88 yr old mom (ex RN), long time BP patient, has that one, so I'll proxy-vouch for it.
 
My diastolic is usually OK -- lower than 90 -- but my systolic has been hitting 130 and 140 recently. I eat too much sodium but am unwilling to change. I don't smoke and I exercise regularly (I teach aerobics and also do other cardio).

Is it likely that fish oil will help lower my pressure enough so that I don't have to go on ng a drug? Do you drink a spoonful or does it some in caplets so you don't have to taste it? Fish oil is one of the most unappetizihg things I've ever heard of ...
 
It comes in capsules (clear but they are big) - given your levels I would try the fish oil and exercise no other drugs

Of course check with your doctor first
 
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