Blood Pressure

[RBM]

Be interested in comments as quite a few of us here  are late 60s plus.

Having never suffered from serious BP issues been pretty relaxed about monitoring BP. Reasonably active with gym, tennis swimming and apart from some minor  arthritis issues OK.  After an injury some years ago did invest in home BP monitor, wraps around arm  not wrist, I Care model. Just check occasionally, in fact few months ago been a while and batteries were dead. Seemed to be always around 125/70.

Recently went to Doc for a medical and as always first is BP test, 160/80 which surprised him and me. Tested 5 times, different monitors.... and always about same. prescribed Losertan 50mg. Same day checked at home and was normal. Out comes google......White collar syndrome......Heck no I did not feel a bit nervous, apprehensive or anything.....Plus usual long sit waiting for Doc. Weird.

Anyway after a couple weeks taking these it dropped to low 100s over 60s at times under 60s which as Doc Google advised can  lead to light headiness which I hate.

So what to do last week my partner has been cutting the pills in half so 25mg a day. Always test same time, 3 times. Still low 100s and 60 or under. We checked our monitor with 2 other people whom had a recent Doc test and it appears accurate.

Just curious any other people had similar experiences....I am 70.

[OzeMike]

I'm 75 next month and my bp is around 125/70 taking 5mg (Amlodipine Besilate), non smoker and use treadmill daily. Use a arm type monitor too (Health Sure brand).

I have frequently found higher readings at doctors and other locations eg when getting my vaccine jabs. Happens so often I almost don't react as much as perhaps I should. 

I read somewhere that the monitor should be level with your heart and to rest for 10mins before doing a reading.... and do at least three readings...which I do. 

My feeling would be go to another doctor for a second opinion.. perhaps even take your monitor with you for him to test it to see what it shows...before changing tablets.

Hope you find out soon. 

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

34 minutes ago, RBM said:

Anyway after a couple weeks taking these it dropped to low 100s over 60s at times under 60s which as Doc Google advised can  lead to light headiness which I hate.

When I take 50 mg of Losartan and walk a lot then I get a similar situation, about 100/60.  When I take 50 mg of Losartan daily and sit around all day then I get 120/80.  Without the Losartan I gradually creep up to 150/110 so I take take the Losartan but I try to take it AFTER my daily walk.

[Snowy79]

I may have to invest in a blood pressure monitor I think. I class myself as very fit for my age as I'm coming up 57 and train with people half my age and weight yet leave most standing when it comes to running and swimming. I train using a sports watch with a heart alarm set to 165bpm which is a safe rate for my age.  My resting heart is in the low 50s but when I went for my first covid vaccine they said I had high blood pressure.  They did use the wrist type though and I'd been playing musical chairs and standing up for 5hrs while waiting the vaccine. After trying the opposite wrist my pressure was fine. Researching apparently the wrist type tend to be less accurate and your arm should be held level to your heart.  

[Freebie]

I lived in China before retiring to Philippines. During the last year there were many high pressure adn tense situations revolving round chinese fighting over who owned what in a company I worked for. The results was I felt daily pressure , tension and I guess resultant sleeping issues. I could sense blood pressure issues.

Had an arm cuff machine Id bought In HK but rarely used and my scores were elevated, from my usual 120/80 130/80 up to 150/90. Id never had such scores. So after lunch would go to my apartment , measure BP. Record the score..then sit in a dark room and meditate, or at least practice mindfulness.. letting thoughts go , thinking good things for 30 minutes. Then I would record the score. Invariably it was back down to about 120/80.

After work Id have a 10km  walk, record the score before walking and record after. Again, 30 minutes after walking, the score would be back to a normal 120/80 range.

These days in Makati  I walk at least 2 hours every day and have stopped looking at scores. On the rare docs visits they always says its about 130/120 80.....

[GeoffH]

I have an arm cuff machine at the house in CDO and another in Australia plus a wrist cuff one I bought for travelling.

You have to be more careful with the wrist cuff type to keep your arm still and at the correct elevation to get a reading similar to the (easier to use properly) arm cuff readers.

As to BP being higher when tested at the Doctors... yeah I tend to see that too.

What I tend to do it take a reading in the morning and the evening for a couple of weeks before a Doctors visit and save it in the machine then take my BP tester with my when I visit the Doctor so he can look at the results.  It seems to make him less reliant on the single reading taken on the day of the visit.

 

 

[Clermont]

Gee I'd nearly call all of you's bloody winger's, I'd love to have a heart pressure like that, had a bit of ticker problem but I'll join you's in winging about to high/ to low blood pressure.  

[Joey G]

11 hours ago, GeoffH said:

What I tend to do it take a reading in the morning and the evening for a couple of weeks before a Doctors visit and save it in the machine then take my BP tester with my when I visit the Doctor so he can look at the results.

As usual Geoff has the right idea.  I'd also add...  take that same machine from home and use it right in front of the doctor. See what he says.

That not withstanding... at some point everyone with high blood pressure was lower and it went up... and sometimes just because you got older. I wouldn't be experimenting with doses though... the med's and doses are to control it over a 24 hour/7 day period...  taking it at the same time is important as well... readings vary, individually they can give a false sense of security, or just as easy the opposite... ask your doc 

[Dave Hounddriver]

15 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

When I take 50 mg of Losartan

Oops . .  I forgot to mention that I only have about 7 tablets left and I cannot get any more.  Losartan was recalled due to cancer risk.  (Here is the link https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/prevention-risk-reduction/additional-lots-losartan-recalled-due-potential-cancer-risk )

It will probably take a while before the recall gets to Philippine pharmacies but when it does you may want to try Candesartan (16mg) which is what my pharmacist substituted for the Losartan that I can no longer get.  I haven't tried it yet but . . .  no choice.

[Mike J]

5 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Oops . .  I forgot to mention that I only have about 7 tablets left and I cannot get any more.  Losartan was recalled due to cancer risk.  (Here is the link https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/prevention-risk-reduction/additional-lots-losartan-recalled-due-potential-cancer-risk )

It will probably take a while before the recall gets to Philippine pharmacies but when it does you may want to try Candesartan (16mg) which is what my pharmacist substituted for the Losartan that I can no longer get.  I haven't tried it yet but . . .  no choice.

Folks, please read the article and you may want to google additional articles if you take Losartin.  The recall started for certain lots of Losartan that contained an impurity.  Canada appears to have now extended the recall to all Losartin and some other similar BP meds?   If you do take Losartan, it may be a good idea to check with your doctor for a substitute in case this recall does extend to the Philippines or you want to take no chances.

Below is the article text.

Sandoz Canada and Sanis Health are recalling all lots of prescription losartan tablets due to the presence of an azido impurity above the acceptable limit. The impurity is a mutagen and can create a heightened cancer risk over time if allowed to rise above certain levels.

The news, announced in a new advisory from Health Canada, marks the latest in a series of recalls of antihypertensive medications in Canada over the last several months. Previous recalls have included losartan, irbesartan and valsartan—all were related to the same azido impurity.

“Continue taking your medication unless you have been advised to stop by your healthcare provider,” Health Canada warned in its advisory. “Not treating your condition may pose a greater health risk.”

Read the full advisory—which includes all updates since the first announcement back in May

Edited October 12, 2021 by Mike J