New blood pressure guidelines

[tiggerlover]

Have you all heard that there are new blood pressure guidelines? I was surprised to learn that any blood pressure over 120/80 is now considered pre-hypertension. I went in for a physical a couple of weeks ago and this is what I was told and recently it has been confirmed by a few other sources.

Before I lost my 34 pounds my blood pressure was hanging, on average, around 155/95, since losing the weight I was very happy to see that my blood pressure was down to 144/85, but my doctor was not happy with that so she has had me monitoring my blood pressure for the last couple of weeks. On average I have been between 132/82 and 138/85, which for me is great, but I am afraid with the new guidelines that it still doesn't cut it. I don't get to talk to the doctor again until late next week because she is on vacation, so I am wondering what will happen next. Does anyone know besides diet and exercise, which I am doing, and cutting salt, which I am also doing, what I can do to reduce those numbers?

 

[RaySharpton]

Congratulations on lowering your blood pressure. Keep up the good work on exercising, eating healthy, and following you physician's recommendations.


God bless you, best wishes, and encouragement, RaySharpton

 

[TigH]

I don't think there is anything else you can do to lower the numbers unless your dr. prescribes you medicine for high BP. It will come down on it's own as you continue to get in shape though! Congratulations on bringing the numbers down already. What is it with new food pyramids, new points programs and new blood pressure guidelines anyway? I think it's a conspiracy.... but I'm naturally paranoid anyway!

Keep up the great work, Debbi! Have you noticed a change in your pulse? If you haven't monitored that yet, try taking it at rest today or one day soon and then check it again in a month. You will be surprised how much slower it will get over time, but that is good news because it means your heart is stronger and more efficient at pumping blood!!!

 

[Mskanga]

What is it with new food pyramids, new points programs and new blood pressure guidelines anyway?

I don't know either , but I would love to know how they come up with this new guidelines, do they put a whole bunch of people together and then just take the average?
I have always been on the low side, right now I'm between the low and normal , on my last visit I was 116/78 ( in march ) , on the one before I was 118/70 ( in december ) and I have gone as far down as 100/70 just on June 2002, I know because I can get all my medical records online.
I just love how they come up with these new guidelines.

 

[loisg1]

Your doc may decide to put you on meds. The most important thing is that your BP is in an acceptable range. You would still be able to come off of the med if your BP stablizes in the future. You certainly are working in that direction with your weight loss and exercise efforts!!

Good luck Debbi!
Lois

 

[nativetxn]

I think they adopted that new guideline a couple of years ago. My husband lowered his bp with Atkins. Strange but true.

 

[tiggerlover]

I am curious to know about the meds, if anyone knows. Lois, you said that you can come off the meds if the blood pressure comes down, so how does the meds work? I was just assuming the meds bring it down and that you would always have to take them.

 

[anniet]

Tiggerlover, I don't *think* your doc will prescribe meds if you are 120/80.

The gentleman/nurse that told me about the new food pyramid was testing blood pressure that day and he was telling people about the new bp guidelines. We talked about those too. He said that in his opinion they lowered the numbers to catch younger people who may be at risk. In his opinion someone in their 20's with a bp of 120/80 may be at greater risk as they age than say someone who's 60 and has that bp, simply because they expect bp to increase with age. (Am I making sense?)

I think if you keep doing what you are doing you'll be fine.

I don't know what's with all the new guidelines either, but I got mad when they put my Mom on lipitor, she lowered her cholesterol down to 175 and they wanted to INCREASE the dose because of the new guidelines for women. I'm all for lowering your cholesterol and bp, but I think meds should be used carefully.