Young with High Blood Pressure

[pud107]

I'm sure this is probably nothing, but I've recently been referred to the hospital for tests due to high blood pressure.  I'm only 24 and not over weight but have had blood pressure readings at the doctors office as high as 180/120.  I had an appointment with a general specialist who didn't come to any conclusion as to what could be causing it.  I have had numerous blood tests and ecg's.  I've been referred to a cardiologist and an appointment has been made for an echo to be done.  One thing that seems a little bit odd is that I have also been booked in for a kidney ultrasound??  Anyway ideas what they are looking for?  They keep telling me it is very bizarre for someone my age to have blood pressure that high but have said nothing about what could be causing it.

[Rachelmek]

Wonders how her test ever came out... I suffer from what is called Polycystic Kidney Disease (google it) which causes chronic kidney stones. Many people have this disease with no signs until they are much older. When their kidneys begin to fail them. The main symptom is high blood pressure beginning as a young adult. why? Because your kidneys are working too hard fighting off the cysts and they are not filtering correctly. I was diagnosed with PKD in July last year after a car accident. I just happened to decide to see a friend who happened to also be a urologist as I did not have medical insurance and knew he would let me pay it out.  He ran a series of tests and came to find I had chronic kidney stones. A total of 6. Just in there. Probably been there for years. If you have high blood pressure on top of chronic stones I highly recommend you get tested. A CT scan is the best way to get diagnosed and make sure you see a Urologist who. If you would like to here more about my story I will happily tell you. Before you get tested you need to know this is a fatal disease and this will affect your ability to get life insurance and affordable health care if you do not have it prior.

[stutterheart1]

Hi Pud107,
I am 28 and had baseline bloodpressure (not-agitated) of 170/110 for about 2 years. I've been to the ER and had it as high as 220/130 when I was really panicing because of an arrhythmia. I'm pretty fit but until 2 years ago I was almost olympic calibur with my fitness as I played pro sports. So you see it's not always because of weight.
They will check your kidneys to see that there is nothing clogging them up. The good news is that if you have kidneys that are that messed up, you will exhibit other symptoms most likely.
I never took meds for it and it's come down to about 120/75 now. I don't know exactly why it went up so high but I was working 16+ hour days 6 1/2 days a week on wall street at the time and I'm pretty sure it was the intense stress and long hours.
Good luck and know that there are many of us out there who have had good diagnoses. There are plenty of meds out there. The main reason they are concerned is that you don't want it to go on for 15 more years: it will stretch out your heart and arteries and increase your chances of stroke and heart disease.

[the3ditor]

I'm 26 and have had high BP readings since I was 20. I've always been in great shape and not overweight. I've had all sorts of tests (including the kidney ultrasound, thyroid, etc.) and my cardiologist has just concluded that it's genetic (a conclusion I'm not entirely satisfied with). I also have tachycardia/bradycardia although no one has explained whether these two conditions are related. I take Atacand 8mg to control the blood pressure. It's a pretty tolerable drug.

Good luck with the tests. Try not to worry (it raises you blood pressure ;-)

[Jerry_NJ]

What is your blood pressure when you are not in a doctor's office?  Have you checked at the free testing stations that are at most (all) pharmacies? Many people have higher than normal BP when at the doctor office.