22 year Daughter high BP/HDL help

[ladesant]

My 22 year old healthy daugher has always since young childhood had high bp and high cholesterol for her age.  She at age 7 had ultra sound of kidneys and cardio work up, all was normal functions.  We basically just lived through it.  She always was a petite girl and to this day is just under 5'2 and is 98 lbs, was an athlete throughout high school and has no issues with her heath.  Now at age 22 she went to get birth control and they would not give it to her because her bp was too high and told her to go back to her dr.  Well she now has moved on from her peditrician and went to internest, who looked over her past childhood medical records, her bp as been 145/98 and her labs showed: cholestrollevel is 231, LDL 146. The dr at this point wants to change her diet and come back in 2 months for new labs and possible meds.  HELP what direction do we take.

[grendslori]

IMO I'm not too sure a water pill would be the best choice in someone who is as petite as your daughter; I can't imagine a doctor putting someone that small on water pills. Having said that, I would listen to the doctor here. The pill is not a good idea for anyone with HP and that is well known as it can cause a stroke. One thing I would do is to ask for a referral to a dietician so that you can have a food plan started to help your daughter. If your daughter is married, she should talk to her Gynecologist for a better form of birth control; he could help her there, and of course, if she is not married, well....we won't go there, I think it's obvious what I would be saying. Have her talk to her Gyne.  

[Encephalomalcia]

Blood pressure of 145/98 is way too high.  If her blood pressure is that now, I would think the doctor would start her off on a water pill, which brings down blood pressure.  This is the new way of treating high blood pressure, and it is treated with an old blood pressure medication that been around for years.  LDL levels should be 100 or lower, HDL should be a least in the fifties for females.  If she eliminates red meat from her diet, fast food, processed meats such as hotdogs, deli meat and drinks skim milk the LDL levels should drop dramatically.  Dark chocolate and salmon has been shown to increase HDL levels (HDL good cholesterol).  Omega 3 is great for the heart.  If the LDL and HDL are way out of range, it usually shows that this is hereditary and then medication is needed.  If the LDL and HDL are not that far out of range, diet may be able to correct this.  Cut back on salt for the high blood pressure.  Hopefully, she can get this under control with her diet.