What do you know about high blood pressure?

[maillotpois]

What's the definition of "high"? What do they want you to get it to? 131/91 doesn't sound very high to me, but I am no expert. (and of course today I was just looking at med records of a guy whose was 250/150 !!!)

[Tuckervill]

Now that's high!

131/81 is termed "prehypertension" according to the newest guidelines. The readings at the doctor's office were "Stage 1 hypertension". I get those readings often. This part is why I'm taking it seriously:

The relationship between BP and risk of CVD events is continuous, consistent,
and independent of other risk factors. The higher the BP, the greater is the
chance of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. For individu-
als 40–70 years of age, each increment of 20 mmHg in systolic BP (SBP) or
10 mmHg in diastolic BP (DBP) doubles the risk of CVD across the entire BP
range from 115/75 to 185/115 mmHg.8

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/...on/express.pdf

But, that's an average over 60 readings--I take it morning and night, in both arms, and if it seems high or low, I take it again.

What's really bothering me is this shortness of breath/heart skipping thing that's been going on for the last two hours. The symptom is so vague that I can't really describe it. I hesitate to say "pressure on my chest" to any medical person because that brings in all kinds of urgency. But, that's what it is, like a clutching on my chest, like a panic, and I have to cough a little. It only lasts for a second. This happens a lot when I'm driving so I sometimes wonders if it's postural or something. I can't relate it to caffeine, or anything like that. And I can shovel dirt and mulch for hours, and run sprints (this morning) and ride my bike a long way.

It's one of those symptoms that you kind of ignore until it goes away, but it hasn't gone away, and now coupled with the higher BP readings, I'm starting to wonder....

Karen

[Jolt]

The BP doesn't sound all that bad at this point--yes, it's a little higher than it should be but it's not ridiculously high (it's not like you're gonna explode or something ). The shortness of breath and palpitations should be checked out though, especially if it's new. Most cases of palpitations aren't anything serious but occasionally they can be a sign of bigger problems; the shortness of breath along with yours is another reason to get it looked at. Let us know how it goes.

[Di bear]

What's really bothering me is this shortness of breath/heart skipping thing that's been going on for the last two hours. The symptom is so vague that I can't really describe it. I hesitate to say "pressure on my chest" to any medical person because that brings in all kinds of urgency. But, that's what it is, like a clutching on my chest, like a panic, and I have to cough a little. It only lasts for a second. This happens a lot when I'm driving so I sometimes wonders if it's postural or something. I can't relate it to caffeine, or anything like that. And I can shovel dirt and mulch for hours, and run sprints (this morning) and ride my bike a long way.

Karen -

This paragraph is the key to your problems. First and foremost, you need to be treated for anxiety. Stick with the tried and true: Prozac. Go to your family doctor and get on a SAFE antidepressant/anti-anxiety drug (SAFE is why I recommended Prozac). If the first drug doesn't work after two months, then you need to switch. They are all chemically different, and you need to find the one that works for you.

I think you'll find that your BP will normalize after treating the anxiety.

Once you get your physical symptoms/reactions under control, then you can step back and take a look at the changes you need to make in your life. I'm not talking about food and exercise, I'm talking about stress coping mechanisms.

Your sharp pains most likely were gas. Also, anxiety/depression can cause a lot of physical pain. I know - I've been there.

Di

[teigyr]

Definitely get it checked out. Yeah, it could be anxiety and your body is trying to tell you something

I just had my final visit to the cardiologist today. I have arrhythmia and had some funny readings during my stress test at my doctor's office. After much testing, the cardiologist says I am completely healthy. I asked about the PACs and the high resting heart rate and he said that people are all different and these things are normal for me.

So I guess I'm saying to check out to make sure nothing is physically wrong. If nothing is (and I'm telling you, it is a HUGE relief to learn that!), then you can look to the mental and what you can do to calm yourself down.

One last thing I think is people handle things like breathing problems (there are things like smoke that I can't tolerate), stress, and other things differently. For those of us who have little "skip" things going on or are prone to high blood pressure, that is when we feel it.

Just go step by step and I bet once your stress level is lowered, your blood pressure will follow. And again, make sure that your doctor checks everything there is to check.

[Tuckervill]

Thanks gals.

The pains were not gas. I had been fasting so there was no digestive action going on. I'm a pretty gassy gal. I know gas! lol. It wasn't heartburn--I know what that's like. If it wasn't my heart, it was more likely a pulled muscle or rib cage stuff. I go to boot camp and work out hard. I get aches and pains. This is why I mentally went through a checklist of posture, cracked my neck, checked my state of mind, etc. I don't think it was my heart, either. If I had really thought that, I would have gone straight to the hospital.

It may sound like I'm obsessing over all the stuff going on, but really, I'm not. I don't have a paying job. I make my own hours. I can afford the time to spend the whole day in bed if I want. I'm not anxious. I just didn't want to interrupt the one week when I have a lot to do! lol.

I also am already on Zoloft prophylactally, for depressive symptoms. I've been on and off it since the birth of my last child. About a month ago, I decided it was time to go back on, and I'm happy I did. But it's not anxiety/panic/nervousness that is my problem. It's the exact opposite, whatever that is.

The BP was up back in 06, and I think it has been up or creeping up for a long time. It's not going to go away over night.

One more day of this week, then I can rest.

Karen

[Jolt]

The pains were not gas. I had been fasting so there was no digestive action going on. I'm a pretty gassy gal. I know gas! lol. It wasn't heartburn--I know what that's like. If it wasn't my heart, it was more likely a pulled muscle or rib cage stuff. I go to boot camp and work out hard. I get aches and pains. This is why I mentally went through a checklist of posture, cracked my neck, checked my state of mind, etc. I don't think it was my heart, either. If I had really thought that, I would have gone straight to the hospital.

From your description of the pains, they sound likely to be muscle spasms. Heart stuff doesn't typically cause short sharp pains--more of a continuous type of thing.

[Tuckervill]

Thanks, Jolt...confirmed my suspicions. I've been meaning to tell you that I chuckle at your sigline all the time.

Karen