Thread: Finer Things in Life- Your Health

Read an interesting article from the New York Times today regarding a new study on blood pressure, the "silent killer", as my dear old Dad was struck down at 50 with a heart attack.

Interesting read, and our health is something important to us all, and the families who love us.

FYI:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/he...tudy.html?_r=0

I have always been under the impression that 120 is the target blood pressure for males. Frankly I was not aware that doctors will be OK with higher than that.

Aiming at such low blood pressure is unrealistic. Many of my high BP patients take 3 different classes of antihypertensives at high doses and still don't reach their target BP, in the Netherlands 145 mmHg systolic. Our guidelines recommend not adding a 4th antihypertensive.
Way better would be recuction of salt content of prepared foods which requires legislation as the food industry is not going to do it voluntarily. Serious salt reduction alone would lead to an estimated BP lowering of 5-10 mmHg. Other lifestyle measures for the really health-conscious: BMI below 25, plenty exercise, no more than 1 consumption of alcohol daily. Morover: if you would want everyone to have a systolic BP of 120 mmHg you better put antihypertensives in tap water and bottled water as only very few adults over 40 years of age have a systolig BP of 120 or less. Moreover: if you do not have established cardiovascular disease, you don't smoke and your cholesterol and blood glucose are at or below target levels a lowering of the systolic BP from say 140 to 120 mmHg will only minimally reduce your risk of a cardiovascular event.
Cardiovascular risk management is more than BP management. It is also about blood glucose management, cholesterol mamagement and stopping smoking.

Phew, got that off my chest.

Upcoming cardio doctor appointment. Get a kick out of the bi-weekly and then last 14 days before appointment chart his patients keep. Invariably, when in the office, I get what I call DR's BP. Anything from 15 to 30 pints over what my charting averages out. I'm sure there is a descriptive word for that effect - slips my mind at the moment.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Upcoming cardio doctor appointment. Get a kick out of the bi-weekly and then last 14 days before appointment chart his patients keep. Invariably, when in the office, I get what I call DR's BP. Anything from 15 to 30 pints over what my charting averages out. I'm sure there is a descriptive word for that effect - slips my mind at the moment.

Very common - they call that, "White Coat Syndrome"....used to always stress me out to!

Just did my BP - 120/54...big difference between four years ago when I thought 155/95 was, "looking pretty good!"

Originally Posted by Phrank

Very common - they call that, "White Coat Syndrome"....used to always stress me out to!

Just did my BP - 120/54...big difference between four years ago when I thought 155/95 was, "looking pretty good!"

My current charting shows a range from 118/65 to 128/66 - a seven month span. Down to one med and a lot of exercise on a recumbent bike several times a week. I'd say decent for my age.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

My current charting shows a range from 118/65 to 128/66 - a seven month span. Down to one med and a lot of exercise on a recumbent bike several times a week. I'd say decent for my age.

Incredible - sounds like you've got at least another 30 years on the clock!

Originally Posted by Phrank

Incredible - sounds like you've got at least another 30 years on the clock!

I'm trying. That, tho, would put me in the range of the elderly that get asked to what do they attribute their longevity. My projected answer will include whiskey, chocolate cake, fat cigars and a bevy of 20 year olds. I'll let them decide what is true or not.

119/77 with a heartbeat of 51 per min. No meds.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

119/77 with a heartbeat of 51 per min. No meds.

Are you going to add the whiskey, cigar and 20 year old's now or when you surpass my 30 years?