Blood pressure

[smithy003]

i have a blood pressure of 145/95 doc didnt seem to concerned im 40 years old should i seek another opinion.

[va_tony]

Your husband's blood pressure is considered stage I high blood pressure (mild). He should really deal with it either through a lifestyle change (the hard way ---- weight loss, less stress, better diet), or with a medication (the easy way) to get the BP at least below 140/90 (better yet would be 120/80). It would be far better if he dealt with this now rather than later in life when complications begin to appear.

I think he should seek a second opinion or visit a cardiologist. Meds are very effective.

[va_tony]

Sorry about that.  I thought I was answering a question from your spouse (don't know how that got in my head --- long day I guess). Anyway, you should really deal with the high BP as soon as possible.  Mine was similarly high when I was your age and I resisted taking meds my doctor prescribed.  Now at 65 I have an enlarged atria, chronic afb and some coronary artery blockage.  I don't know why I waited 10 years or so. With meds my blood pressure is typically 110/65.

[Barbarella]

The 145/95 did you get this reading at the doctor's office?  Lots of people have elevated readings when seing the doctor, that is called white coat hypertension.  Get yourself a good BP monitor and take your BP at home once a day for a week or two, and see what your "average" BP is.

If you had this reading at the doctor's office and he was not to concerned is because he sees people with a lot higher readings due to being nervous.  However, some doctors brush it off and say do not worry, other doctors say "if you get high BP at the doctor's office how do we know you wont get high BP when under a different type of stress".

I've severe white coat hypertension even though my BP was on average and without BP meds 115/75 at home for many years.  I saw a Cardiologist and a Hypertension Specialist and both urged me to go on BP meds, both said if peoples BP rises when going to see a doctor it usually also rises when under stress other than a doctor's visit.