Blood pressure tripping me out: Doc please

[AleaveR]

Well for hptn, the mainstay of treatment are beta blockers. Basically, your body has 3 kinds of beta receptors which are title beta1, beta 2, beta 3. When your body produces the neurotransmitor epinephrine, it acts on these receptors, particulary beta 1 to cause things like increased HR and increased cardiac output.

When you take a beta blocker, you are blocking epinephrine and norepi from acting on the beta receptors and therefore preventing the symptoms I mentioned earlier from taking place. Ultimately leading to decreased BP.

As far as beta blockers interacting with AAS, there shouldnt be a problem.

Specific Drugs:
Propranol is what they call a noselective beta blocker because it blocks all of the 3 receptors. This could be a problem with patients that have asthma or diabetes because they need some of the actions of the beta 2 receptor and cant afford to have it blocked. If you dont have asthma or diabetes, this might be a good choice.

Personally, I would probably go with a Beta 1 selective blocker like Atenelol. This drug will block the actions of the beta 1 receptor (the one linked to the heart) without affecting the other beta receptors. Therefore decresing the symptoms experienced by blocking those receptors.

BUT...hit up the cardio, watch the sodium, and start taking some fish oil, and measure it again throughout the following weeks. You might be pleasantly surprised...

Good luck

 

[SofaGeorge]

My girlfriend was taking my bp a couple times a day for a while. She would get different readings if she took it two minutes apart.

 

[twistedneck]

I had readings of about 150 over 90 for a year before i got it diagnosed by my doc. he placed me on procardia and it didn't do shit. then i went on ace inhibitor and was all set.

beta blockers kill your sports performance, stay away from them. combination of ace inhibitor, low sodium, taurine i've seen 110 over 65 in the morning. I take fish oil ed and do some type of cardio at least 4x a week - it works well enough that i can dabble in yohimbine here and there. caffene is forbidden. TW

 

[PotatoHead]

Thank much!!!

I'm consistenly amazed by the wealth of info on this forum. I do appreciate the sharing!!!


Thanks again,
Mac

 

[kentucky]

Your BP will vary in a seated, standing and lying position.
You should wait 5 minutes between each reading.

However, at rest, if your BP is 160/92 - I don't think that very healty, nor would I rely on a supplement. You need prescribed medication.

unless you want a stroke or heart attack.

 

[PotatoHead]

Kentucky,

Yes, I was at rest and it was 160/92. I understand that if your arm is below your heart your BP will go way up, and if above your heart will go way down. I keep it at heart level when I measure BP....as is the correct way to perform a measurment. Even when laying down, I kept the cuff at heart level. Either way, at least I have found out that there are ways I can correct it, and I'll be trying the natural ways over the next couple of weeks. I'll update you folks on the results.

Also Kentucky, what's weird about it is that it varied so much that I don't know really what to think is a good measurement. I'll be testing myself every morning for a couple days, and I'll let you know what that looks like.

Thanks

 

[The Prof]

Go and see your Doc and get it checked.

Usually you get it check three times before the diagnosis of hypertension is made.

And remember that it is not always essential hypertension, there may actually be a pathological cause for HT eg renal artery stenosis.

Therefore see your Doc and rule out other causes before jumping too quickly for the antihypertensives.

 

[PotatoHead]

Thanks The Prof.

I'm going to try the following alternatives first: lower sodium, add cardio, take aspirin etc. I'm not going to start a cycle until it's under control, wether it's through natural control or control via drugs.


Thanks,

 

[RADAR]

My girlfriend was taking my bp a couple times a day for a while. She would get different readings if she took it two minutes apart.

Hell with a hot gal like that its a wonder you aint gone thru the roof!

RADAR

 

[Generic MALE]

You cannot officially make a diagnosis of hypertension based on one reading because IT DOES vary alot (unless you get a single reading that is really high like 210/140).

Even most medical offices do not do the procedure correctly - unless they get a bad reading. To get a good reading you should first sit still for 10 minutes, and you should take it in both sides (left and right). If there is more than a 10 mm hg difference side to side it may indicate a condition like sublavian steal.

Also automatic cuffs are not always that accurate and you should have an automated cuff calibrated at your doctors office every now and then. Automated cuffs work via a little barometric chamber inside and as ambient barometric pressures change it can alter the readings a bit. The best cuffs are the ones that are mercury manometers - have a little thermometer looking thing that has mercury running up and down.

Also if you lift and your arms are a decent size - say 17" or more, you need to make sure you have a large cuff, - not the average sized cuff.

Beta Blockers are really not the main treatment for blood pressure. Diuretics are the first thing prescribed and are the cheapest and studies show they work about as well as anything else out there as a stand alone - I learned that as I went through family medicine rotation. ta daaaaa