Archive for the ‘blood pressure’ Category

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My dad was recently not allowed to donate blood because, when he went onto the bus, they said his blood pressure was high. However, when he went to the doctor the next day, he said his blood pressure was fine. I know it may have varied between the two days, though it seems unlikely. This made me wonder, do blood donation centers have stricter limitations on what they accept from donors than what a doctor would consider to be in the healthy range? I know that they require iron levels above what is considered healthy, so does this extend to blood pressure as well?

Current FDA guidelines require that systolic BP measure less than 180 mmHg and diastolic measure less than 100 mmHg for volunteer blood donation. These readings are generally less restrictive than what most physicians consider acceptable. There are many reasons to explain the transient increase in blood pressure. Stress associated with driving, work, etc cold have increased his readings. Also, many people experience "white coat hypertension"; their BP increases in anticipation of a needle stick or physical exam. Most collection facilities will allow the donor to relax for a while and retake the readings. Thank your father for his kindness in attempting to donate, and please ask him to try again.

I have major high blood pressure around 180/110 and I take 4 BP pills. I was told by my doctor to purchase a home blood pressure monitor in order to check my blood pressure 3 times per day.
What is the best recommended blood pressure on the market? I need a blood pressure really accurate.

My daughter also has high blood pressure and she tried several blood pressure devices. So far I think that the best home blood pressure is the : Omron HEM-780 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
With 901 reviews on amazon and close to 5 stars you can’t go wrong. My daughter got it since last year and her readings are as accurate that what she gets from the doctor office.

I have a blood pressure test in three days and I really need to lower my blood pressure… I’ve been doing my best so far keeping sodium intake under 2000 mg a day.. What will help to further lower sodium/ blood pressure?
Doctor said 2000 mg is how much sodium intake should be. I am overweight and I have been drinking plenty of water.

Not everyone is affected by sodium, but sodium can increase blood pressure in some people. Most Americans with healthy blood pressure should limit the sodium in their diet to 2,300 mg per day. African Americans, older Americans and people with high blood pressure should limit the sodium in their diet to 1,500 mg per day. Your doctor may tell you to limit your sodium even more.

Don’t add salt to your food. Check food labels for sodium. While some foods obviously have a lot of sodium, such as potato chips, you may not realize how much sodium is in food like bread, canned vegetables, soups and cheese. Also be aware that some medicines contain sodium.

Other measures:

# Reduce your weight if you are obese: High blood pressure and obesity are intimately related. High blood pressure is extremely common in fat persons.The greater the obesity, the higher the blood pressure.

# Cultivate correct dietary habits: A person with high blood pressure consume low-sugar, low-saturated fat, low-salt, and low-calorie diet. calcium and potassium have also been found to be useful in bringing down the blood pressure.

# Give up alcohol:If a person continues to drink, other measures to reduce blood pressure usually fail.

# Stop smoking :The incidence of high blood pressure has been found to be greater in smokers. Tobacco has two toxic elements ; nicotine and carbon monoxide.

High blood pressure is an increasingly common affliction, and with it comes the increasing danger of unknowingly putting yourself at risk of new or increased blood pressure issues as a result of the use of over the counter medications as common as cold and flu medicines that are readily available. How is it that medicines so commonly sold and easily acquired at the local pharmacy can have such dangerous potential?

The answer is in the decongestants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that these drugs use in order to control some of the symptoms of the cold and the flu, such as a runny nose and sneezing. Decongestants and NSAIDs unfortunately, commonly cause an increase in blood pressure as a side effect.

In fact, not only do you risk increasing your blood pressure when using regular medications that include decongestants and NSAIDs, but you may also cause a conflict with any blood pressure medications that you may be taking at the same time.

Examples of common decongestant ingredients that can cause blood pressure issues are:

• Phenylephrine
• Oxymetazoline
• Pseudoephedrine

Examples of common NSAIDs that can cause blood pressure issues are:

• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Naproxen (Naprosyn)
• Meloxicam (Mobic)
• Naproxen sodium (Aleve)

If you have a family history or personal history of high blood pressure, and especially if you are already taking blood pressure medication to control high blood pressure, it is very important that you be selective about the cold and flu medications that you choose. Fortunately, some cold and flu medicine companies have recognized this issue, and have created products that have been specially formulated for people who already have high blood pressure. By opting for these medications, you are making sure that your cold, cough, and flu relief is safe for the rest of your health. The secret is that these products are free from decongestants, and therefore will not raise your blood pressure.

The following products are decongestant free, and are therefore safe for treating the symptoms of coughs, colds, and the flu, even when you already suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension:

• Coricidin HBP

Paul J Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/choosing-the-right-cold-or-flu-medication-for-those-with-high-blood-pressure-86296.html

I have tried Cozaar, Lisinopril & Diovan & had bad side effects from them & my blood pressure actually went higher. Please help, has this happened to anyone else ?
I am taking Tenormin (Atenenol) now but my blood pressure is still high.
What are some of the blood pressure pills other diabetic take with little side effects ?

I take Enalapril Maleate . Ten MG. a day. Bp went from 150/90 tyo 118/68…..But there is a catch to this. I started to exercise 1 hour and 30 min. a day . Nordic Walking. And this is what I think really lowered my BP. Cause before I was taking 5 mg. and nothing was getting better. I have no side effects.
I pay 3 1/2 cents a 5 mg. pill. I live in Thailand.
Try the exercise bit. I do it everyday : Rain or Shine.
How are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.

Becoming more active can lower your systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading — by an average of 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). That’s as good as some blood pressure medications. For some people, getting some exercise is enough to reduce the need for blood pressure medication.

If your blood pressure is at a desirable level — less than 120/80 mm Hg — exercise can keep it from rising as you age. Regular exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, another important way to control blood pressure.

But to keep your blood pressure low, you need to keep exercising. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on your blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise.

Tin

An associate of mine of normal weight and blood pressure, got pregnant and developed high blood pressure throughout her pregnancy. The moment she gave birth, the BP went back to normal. The doctor told her she should never get pregnant again. Against his advice, she got pregnant again and the high blood pressure not only came back but it stayed and has been with her since. Still a fairly normal weight, her BP can be normal one day and way the next. Any ideas on what could be causing this? It even has her doctors stumped.

A lot of times high bp is idiopathic, meaning doctors don’t know the cause of it. A lot of women get preeclampsia or high bp during p/g it’s quite common. As to why the high bp stayed with her after p/g there’s no telling. Even just a 10% weight gain can affect bp as well as salt, caffeine ect.. If your friend loses a bit of weight, cuts salt out of her diet and stops any and all caffeine she might see improvement. But otherwise she may just need to take a simple bp med from now on. I myself have high bp and have had it for 6 years and i’m only 28. My weight is a factor and my history as a bulimic affects it too, but even when i was skinny i still had high bp. I just accept it and work to keep it down with medication,diet,exercise, and no salt or caffine. People can live long healthy lives on bp med sif necessary. It’s not a huge life altering crisis..