Tell me about blood pressure

[conVINCEd 21469]

Just spent the day in the ER.  Went because I was really sick, BP was crazy high when admitted (230/140) which we got back down to 145/90 over the course of a few hours.  I have an appointment on Tuesday to address this long term.  Never had a problem like this, what am I looking at here, short term and long term?  Does a pill solve the problem?

[elfenix 34330]

talk to a nephrologist. 

[justhookit 4191]

Damn that’s really high. Any idea what brought it on? Make sure you stay hydrated because that’s one thing that definitely elevates mine. My onset was a severe panic attack.

im slightly elevated without meds. I Take metoprolol - low dosage- once daily which puts me right back in normal range.

[RPM 26327]

That's stroke out high. I take 2 different meds(atenolol, verapamil) and they keep it under control. I also do some common sense stuff with my diet. Yes, sodium, I'm talking to you.

[Armybrat 40855]

What they all said, then buy one of these to monitor your BP at home. This brand was recommended by both our doctors and matches  their office equipment readings.
 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Armybrat

[NeverMarryAStripper 21912]

Isn't 230/140 getting close to the point where this happens

 

[conVINCEd 21469]

24 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Isn't 230/140 getting close to the point where this happens

 

Probably why I had an IV in my arm less than 5 minutes after walking in the door.

[Brew 3049]

I had a similar BP issue and my doctor recommended me seeing a cardiologist after seeing it hit that level on two straight visits. That was the best recommendation I’ve had from a doctor. Cardiologist ran me through a full battery of tests and discovered a defect where every time my heart rate increased it squeezed one of my arteries and cut off blood supply which pushed my heart rate and blood pressure higher. I take a pill now to keep my heart rate below a certain level and have had zero issues since. It has made working out different but I’m not dead which is a positive.

[52-80 19205]

RIP we hardly knew ye

[conVINCEd 21469]

On 8/2/2021 at 1:05 AM, justhookit said:

Damn that’s really high. Any idea what brought it on? Make sure you stay hydrated because that’s one thing that definitely elevates mine. My onset was a severe panic attack.

im slightly elevated without meds. I Take metoprolol - low dosage- once daily which puts me right back in normal range.

Odd combo of circumstances.  I was/am pretty sick.  Bad upper respiratory infection.   I had COVID 2 months ago, so I didn’t think it was that.  Was self-medicating with leftover meds from previous illnesses.  Those meds are apparently not good for BP.  I thought I needed a z-pack so I went to the doc in the box.  They took my vitals and told me to go to the ER immediately.  I believe it was 210/130 there.  Stress probably cranked it up to what it was when I got to the ER as I had to drive myself because I didn’t think they would let anyone go in with me.  Bad feeling when they start pumping the cuff up and it just keeps going.  Currently sitting at 135/85 after being on BP medication for 2 days.  Heading to the doc for a follow up this afternoon.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13515]

based on a family member's experience, I've read the automated blood pressure cuffs give inaccurate readings for some people. As in much higher. Then when blood pressure is checked manually, the number can be in the normal range.

Point being is that if the automated bp reading is high, ask to have it done manually. For most, the readings will be similar. For a minority, it's not. 

[Bevo 13590]

1 hour ago, conVINCEd said:

 I thought I needed a z-pack so I went to the doc in the box.  They took my vitals and told me to go to the ER immediately.  I believe it was 210/130 there.  

Surprised doc in the box referred out high blood pressure.

[conVINCEd 21469]

18 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Surprised doc in the box referred out high blood pressure.

They told they couldn’t provide the care I needed, and called me 20 minutes later to make sure I got there ok.

[Brew 3049]

2 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

They told they couldn’t provide the care I needed, and called me 20 minutes later to make sure I got there ok.

When I went to one and my BP registered that high on 2 separate readings, they immediately called an ambulance. I told them I wasn’t going to the ER, so they made me sign a release and get a ride before I could leave the clinic. I have a note from cardiologist on my phone now in case it registers high. He also put an EKG readout with it because it shows an anomaly that makes it look like a heart attack.

I learned a lot from my issues and the main thing was go to a legit cardiologist if your BP does odd things. If it’s high, it’s high but if it varies high there could be other issues. My primary put me on high dose BP medication which the cardiologist immediately took me off. He said if I stayed on it for any length of time it would back me into a corner on what could be done down the road to control the issues. I take some very low dose BP medication and heart rate medication now which gives me plenty of options as time goes on if things change.

[DCA_HORN 725]

based on a family member's experience, I've read the automated blood pressure cuffs give inaccurate readings for some people. As in much higher. Then when blood pressure is checked manually, the number can be in the normal range.
Point being is that if the automated bp reading is high, ask to have it done manually. For most, the readings will be similar. For a minority, it's not. 

The machine almost always reads high for me. Doc comes in and checks it and it's normal.

[Homercles 10206]

I have high blood pressure, mostly a genetic thing but I’m also overweight…in my mid-20’s at my skinniest I could barely get under 130/90.  Before meds I was ~145/85.  There is absolutely no combination of stress, meds, illness or other circumstances that could have lead me anywhere near 180 let alone 200+.  
 

Mine is under control with 10mg Lisinopril and regularly read about 120/75 at home.  Sounds like you need a cardiologist or specialist, that’s insane what you were reading…

[msbesq 385]

Was 223/120 due to an acute situation that is now permanent. Great young cardiologist has it under it control for the last 7 years with 90 mg. of Nifedipine daily. Watch sodium, etc. and it's now usually 135-140/85-90. No long-term side effects from the medication and will need to stay on it for life.

[Armybrat 40855]

Same here.

[0xdeadbeef 1651]

On 8/1/2021 at 10:55 PM, conVINCEd said:

Just spent the day in the ER.  Went because I was really sick, BP was crazy high when admitted (230/140) which we got back down to 145/90 over the course of a few hours.  I have an appointment on Tuesday to address this long term.  Never had a problem like this, what am I looking at here, short term and long term?  Does a pill solve the problem?

Holy hell that's high.  

There's a cool site I have bookmarked that draws a nice chart based on your BP.   https://bloodpressureok.com/reading/145-over-90/

 

That site can't handle 230/140.   

 

That's like red-lining a car.  You might get away with it for a little while, but not for long.

 

 

[conVINCEd 21469]

4 minutes ago, 0xdeadbeef said:

Holy hell that's high.  

There's a cool site I have bookmarked that draws a nice chart based on your BP.   https://bloodpressureok.com/reading/145-over-90/

 

That site can't handle 230/140.   

 

That's like red-lining a car.  You might get away with it for a little while, but not for long.

 

 

The looks I got from the docs and nurses let me know I was in some trouble.  They got it under control really quickly.  They were packed 6 deep in the waiting room, and the intake nurse walked me straight back and I had a doc working on me immediately.  25 y.o. me probably would have said fuck it and went home after failing to score a z-pack at urgent care.  Doc visit was fine today. Working on getting an appointment with a cardiologist set up.  I’m normally not that picky about docs as I’ve never had any health problems, but I’m asking around on this to try and find someone really good.

[Bevo 13590]

I think fatbastard is a cardiologist but he is in Houston.

[conVINCEd 21469]

44 minutes ago, Bevo said:

I think fatbastard is a cardiologist but he is in Houston.

I don’t think I could take a doc with the username fatbastard seriously.  I’m in Dallas if anybody want to toss out a name or two.  The only other time in my life when I needed a doc referral the shag (RIP) steered me in the right direction.

[Stunns38 3537]

I don’t think I could take a doc with the username fatbastard seriously.  I’m in Dallas if anybody want to toss out a name or two.  The only other time in my life when I needed a doc referral the shag (RIP) steered me in the right direction.

If you don’t mind going to Fort Worth, I recommend Dr. Wade McBride.

https://www.texashealth.org/Providers/THPG/Texas-Health-Heart-and-Vascular-Specialists/Clinical-Cardiac-Electrophysiology/kenneth-wade-mc-bride-md

https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/kenneth-mcbride-54067f41-5266-446f-bebf-5cd6efa85eaa-overview

[luke duke 6413]

Just spent the day in the ER.  Went because I was really sick, BP was crazy high when admitted (230/140) which we got back down to 145/90 over the course of a few hours.  I have an appointment on Tuesday to address this long term.  Never had a problem like this, what am I looking at here, short term and long term?  Does a pill solve the problem?

[conVINCEd 21469]

11 hours ago, Brew said:

When I went to one and my BP registered that high on 2 separate readings, they immediately called an ambulance. I told them I wasn’t going to the ER, so they made me sign a release and get a ride before I could leave the clinic. I have a note from cardiologist on my phone now in case it registers high. He also put an EKG readout with it because it shows an anomaly that makes it look like a heart attack.

I learned a lot from my issues and the main thing was go to a legit cardiologist if your BP does odd things. If it’s high, it’s high but if it varies high there could be other issues. My primary put me on high dose BP medication which the cardiologist immediately took me off. He said if I stayed on it for any length of time it would back me into a corner on what could be done down the road to control the issues. I take some very low dose BP medication and heart rate medication now which gives me plenty of options as time goes on if things change.

I’ve signed out AMA once in my life.  It was because they wouldn’t let me watch the Chris Webber timeout game in the waiting room while I waited for the plastic surgeon to arrive to stitch up my eye.  I sincerely appreciate your comments on this thread.  This deal has kind of been a big wake up call for me.  To this point in my life I have been a go to the doc when I’m sick person, which isn’t often.  I think yearly physicals will be the norm going forward.

[DCA_HORN 725]

I don’t think I could take a doc with the username fatbastard seriously.  I’m in Dallas if anybody want to toss out a name or two.  The only other time in my life when I needed a doc referral the shag (RIP) steered me in the right direction.

Yeah thats the reason not to take him seriously.

[conVINCEd 21469]

7 hours ago, DCA_HORN said:

14 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I don’t think I could take a doc with the username fatbastard seriously.  I’m in Dallas if anybody want to toss out a name or two.  The only other time in my life when I needed a doc referral the shag (RIP) steered me in the right direction.

Yeah thats the reason not to take him seriously.

I was trying to be nice.

[Brew 3049]

12 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I’ve signed out AMA once in my life.  It was because they wouldn’t let me watch the Chris Webber timeout game in the waiting room while I waited for the plastic surgeon to arrive to stitch up my eye.  I sincerely appreciate your comments on this thread.  This deal has kind of been a big wake up call for me.  To this point in my life I have been a go to the doc when I’m sick person, which isn’t often.  I think yearly physicals will be the norm going forward.

Similar story, I didn’t even have a primary care doctor. I would just go to the convenient care every couple of years when I had a major sinus infection and get a shot and never went to the doctor other than that. BP always ran high (140/85 or so) when I would check it or when I would go to the eye doctor and they checked it but I didn’t worry about it. I ate well, was in reasonable shape, had no major issues, etc so a doctor was a waste of time. Then I had a couple of issues where I went to a convenient care a couple of times in a 6 month period and both times it went up into the 230/130 range. The first time it dropped within a couple minutes, the second time it didn’t which is when they wanted to call the ambulance. Wife convinced me to go see a primary and that led to the cardiologist referral. Now I see him twice a year and do a stress test, ultrasounds, and cardiac MRI’s every other year. I think I’ve been poked more in the last 4 years than the previous 40 combined, but it’s made a difference. 

[msbesq 385]

19 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

The looks I got from the docs and nurses let me know I was in some trouble.  They got it under control really quickly.  They were packed 6 deep in the waiting room, and the intake nurse walked me straight back and I had a doc working on me immediately.  25 y.o. me probably would have said fuck it and went home after failing to score a z-pack at urgent care.  Doc visit was fine today. Working on getting an appointment with a cardiologist set up.  I’m normally not that picky about docs as I’ve never had any health problems, but I’m asking around on this to try and find someone really good.

I highly recommend James Park, M.D., an interventional cardiologist, in Dallas at 214.345.6000. He gave my mother extra years of her life by putting a stent in her heart when three other cardiologists said it couldn't be done.

[troph 24891]

Gotdammit we are getting old. Fuck this.  Op don’t die mkay?

[conVINCEd 21469]

I’ll try to hang around long enough to move and buy a boat.

[HRSchenker 2271]

I'm just glad you're alive. That reading is higher than anything I ever saw working at the IHS near Tulsa and those fucks never take care of themselves. Now is the time to take your health seriously while you still can. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

34 minutes ago, HRSchenker said:

I'm just glad you're alive. That reading is higher than anything I ever saw working at the IHS near Tulsa and those fucks never take care of themselves. Now is the time to take your health seriously while you still can. 

It was definitely a wake up call.  I’m going to see a cardiologist because Brew’s story is eerily similar to mine and I feel like there might be some underlying issue that causes sudden spikes.  I feel fairly certain that if I was walking around with that BP for a few months that I would have stroked out by now.  Weird thing is that I didn’t even feel bad, aside from the upper respiratory crap.  I actually debated going to urgent care, but decided to because I felt like I needed the z-pack to knock that shit out quickly.  Drove myself because I was under the impression that no one else would be allowed to go in with me, walked from the parking garage to the ER (I did take the elevator instead of the stairs).  I’m a reasonably in shape 46 year old with very little previous health issues.  I drink too much by any medical definition, but it’s not out of hand, and will take an edible once in a blue moon, but that is the extent of my drug use.

Edited August 5, 2021 by conVINCEd

[RPM 26327]

Another little fun factoid about hypertension is you don't only have to worry about a stroke. High BP also causes long term irreversible eye and kidney damage. So unless you want to see or pee, no worries.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13515]

Dumb question but could donating blood help with high blood pressure? It would seem to me that reducing the fluid quantity in a system could lower the pressure. Does the cardiovascular system operate like that?

i don’t mean to reduce it as you’re redlining as I’m sure the donation center would direct you to the ER. I mean more about long term management.

[Homercles 10206]

2 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Dumb question but could donating blood help with high blood pressure? It would seem to me that reducing the fluid quantity in a system could lower the pressure. Does the cardiovascular system operate like that?

i don’t mean to reduce it as you’re redlining as I’m sure the donation center would direct you to the ER. I mean more about long term management.

Well I remember in one of James Herriots books…maybe it was All Creatures Great and Small…Siegfried was all out of ideas on a very ill horse, and in desperation whacked an artery with a large metal spike, letting a gallon or two of blood out.  Worked marvelously.  So based on that I’d strongly recommend it, or leaches.  

[Herbie Hancock 7369]

Dumb question but could donating blood help with high blood pressure? It would seem to me that reducing the fluid quantity in a system could lower the pressure. Does the cardiovascular system operate like that?
i don’t mean to reduce it as you’re redlining as I’m sure the donation center would direct you to the ER. I mean more about long term management.

It will help initially, but that’s not the long term answer. You need to find the root cause of the hypertension. Even in polycythemia the answer is not strictly just to donate blood.

[Herbie Hancock 7369]

As an addendum to above, unless you have a medical reason not to do so, you should be donating blood every 8 weeks

[0xdeadbeef 1651]

A brain dump on what I know of BP Meds:

• lisinopril- Works well for BP, but causes a dry cough in a lot of people. And by a lot of people, they seems to mean everyone.  
• amlodipine - Works well for BP, but causes Leg edema (swelling). Want fat feet, this is your drug.
• Diuretics (Water Pills) - There are a bunch of these and they are prescribed alone and in a combo-pills with another meds.  Yes, they do work for BP, but they work by making your body not hold electrolytes, you know, that stuff that Brawndo has. Electrolytes make your cells hold water. Less electrolytes, less water in your body.  For couch potatoes, these work great, but if you work out, these suck. A mile into a run and you start getting pre-cramping spasms in your muscles.   
• losartan - This works for me without side effects, but over 4 years, I've had to up the dosage multiple times. I'm not sure if that's common or just me.
• clonidine - Faster acting and harder hitting med.  I have a bottle for as-need when my BP spikes.  They probably gave the OP a mouthful of these. 

[Updawg 2279]

Been doing lisinopril forever. No side effects

[Brew 3049]

7 hours ago, 0xdeadbeef said:

A brain dump on what I know of BP Meds:

• lisinopril- Works well for BP, but causes a dry cough in a lot of people. And by a lot of people, they seems to mean everyone.  
• amlodipine - Works well for BP, but causes Leg edema (swelling). Want fat feet, this is your drug.
• Diuretics (Water Pills) - There are a bunch of these and they are prescribed alone and in a combo-pills with another meds.  Yes, they do work for BP, but they work by making your body not hold electrolytes, you know, that stuff that Brawndo has. Electrolytes make your cells hold water. Less electrolytes, less water in your body.  For couch potatoes, these work great, but if you work out, these suck. A mile into a run and you start getting pre-cramping spasms in your muscles.   
• losartan - This works for me without side effects, but over 4 years, I've had to up the dosage multiple times. I'm not sure if that's common or just me.
• clonidine - Faster acting and harder hitting med.  I have a bottle for as-need when my BP spikes.  They probably gave the OP a mouthful of these. 

I take a low dose Bisoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide combo along with amlodipine. I never really thought about the effect the diuretic has on working out, but that does explain some things. I cramp up or get sore much easier now than I ever did before. There are times when I feel like I’m 40ish going on 80 from certain activities.

[Homercles 10206]

5 hours ago, Updawg said:

Been doing lisinopril forever. No side effects

I finally decided to stop being a coward douche and see the doc for BP back in early March of 2020…got me on 10mg Lisinopril.  Lovely timing to get a dry cough while reading about ACE receptors being a key player in covid infections.  

[DalTxHornFan 3109]

Losartan was mildly helpful for me.

Wanting to bring my numbers down more, Doc put me on Valsartan and my hands broke out with bloody blisters/lesions.

Losing weight and drinking less (during the off-season, of course) has helped me keep things in the old "high-normal" range since then.

No way that Big-Pharma had anything to do with defining down the BP ranges, right?

[conVINCEd 21469]

I’m getting a thorough cardiac examination on Tuesday.

[Brew 3049]

6 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I’m getting a thorough cardiac examination on Tuesday.

Good luck, it’s better to know if there is an issue or if everything is good to go. Peace of mind is worth a lot.

[Brew 3049]

8 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

No way that Big-Pharma had anything to do with defining down the BP ranges, right?

A lot of cardiologists also run research operations as part of their practice. I think massive amounts of information has made it more apparent how significant blood pressure is to a number of different things. I don’t remember the numbers but long term kidney problems jumped significantly once your BP passed a certain number. High BP typically also goes along with a laundry list of other health issues.

[Bevo 13590]

1 minute ago, Brew said:

A lot of cardiologists also run research operations as part of their practice. I think massive amounts of information has made it more apparent how significant blood pressure is to a number of different things. I don’t remember the numbers but long term kidney problems jumped significantly once your BP passed a certain number. High BP typically also goes along with a laundry list of other health issues.

This is true but also be cognizant of cause and effect. High blood pressure often occurs in people with poor diet and poor exercise habits. Poor diet and lack of exercise also cause lots of medical issues.

[skeeter 454]

I'm pushing 70 & have been on Losartan HCTZ (diuretic combo) for about 10 years.  My problem is "white coat" hypertension.  BP jumps up to the 180/100 range when I visit the doctor's office (worse at the dentist).  I have a late model Omron cuff BP monitor and readings at home average 130/75 on a consistent basis.

Recently consulted a cardiologist ... completed an EKG, ultrasound, and nuclear stress test.  EKG and ultrasound came out fine, but the stress test showed possible "moderate to severe" blockage.  Blood work was fine; never have had high cholesterol results.

Went in for an angiogram and they found nada.  Cardiologist told my Bride that my arteries were as clean as a 20-year old.  He stated the stress test can be incorrect on occasion.  "It happens". 

As to my white coat problem ... "try and relax".  Right. 🙄

 

[msbesq 385]

You may need a beta blocker before you go to the doctor or good weed.

[RPM 26327]

On 8/6/2021 at 10:19 AM, msbesq said:

You may need a beta blocker before you go to the doctor or good weed.

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