Blood Pressure concerns

[Wildstrawberries]

Hello,

May I ask for some advice please.

I have developed high blood pressure over the last few years. I currently take 10mg of Ramipril which is the highest dose.

This gets my blood pressure to about 135/85 when I take 3 readings at home.

I had a non BP related episode health issue a few days ago which led to an ambulance being called. During ambulance observations my BP was 175/ 108 which wasn’t mentioned further at hospital. An additional reading at hospital was taken an hour later which read roughly the same but again nothing was mentioned.

I now understand this is called hypertension crisis. I received no additional care or advice however.

I wonder does anyone understand how it’s possible to get these very high readings when taking a large dose of Ramipril.

I have been largely bed bound for several years and don’t go out so I don’t have a great support network. Advice here as to if I should ask about this episode further and why Ramipril isn’t preventing this would be most helpful,

Thank you

[Captain_Birdseye]

Hi

I'm Not a doctor - Blood pressure will rise when the body or mind is under stress - and I daresay having to call out an ambulance or go to hospital will be stressful for most of us!

If your baseline (normal) readings are a bit higher to begin with, they will get higher, even while on medication.

All that being said, I completely understand your concern so I'd call the GP this morning and even ask to talk over the phone about this - they may be able to offer an explanation specific to your situation, or offer a course of action.

You can also call the BHF nurses for support and guidance.

[Wildstrawberries in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

many thanks for your kind reply, I did as was suggested here on the forum, thank you. My doctor has added in a new channel blocker; so I have ramipril, a beta blocker and now a channel blocker so hopefully I can get it under control. The doctor gave me some of the ambulance readings which were even higher than they told me so it’s all a bit scary.

I’m about 155/95 now even sitting at home so even with all that ammunition I’m still far from a good place but thank you so much for taking the time to offer me advice.

[devonian186]

Being largely bedbound suggests a consequence of possible lack of exercise and being overweight? If that is so that could have a dramatic effect on your BP. I don't know the reasons you are bedbound or how you could take exercise if so.

[Wildstrawberries in reply to devonian186]

thank you for your kind reply. Yes I’m overweight and with limited mobility so I’m certainly struggling with addressing the kind of weight loss needed to be safer. Thank you again.

[Purpleazalia]

I 2nd captain birdseye's response. I'm on blood pressure medication which keeps my BP (home readings) within recommended levels. However, when I attend a medical appointment my BP readings are always high.

A couple of days ago I went for a scan and had a person standing either side of me as I lay on the bed being prepared. One was putting a cannula into my arm whilst the other was taking my BP. This gave me my highest BP reading ever - it was 170something over 111. They didn't tell me this until the procedure was over and they had tested it again to make sure I was okay to go to sit in the recovery area. I'm not unduly worried about it as it was a temporary situation and my BP has been back to normal since I've been home.

If your BP is back to normal now, a chat with your GP or surgery nurse should help reassure you.

[Wildstrawberries in reply to Purpleazalia]

thank you for taking the time to respond. I am comforted to her your own experience although I’m obviously not glad you went through it. I’m pleased to hear your BP has lowered again , mine is still fairly high in the 150s / 90s even sitting at home so things are still to be well managed. Thanks to the advice here I spoke to the GP today and they prescribed a new drug. I hope this will help matters. Thank you again for your reply.

[JaneFinn]

Hi Wildstrawberries, I sympathise, I’ve had phases where my blood pressure has been stubbornly high despite Ramipril 10mg and then spiking into scarily high (at one outpatient appointment it caused the nurse taking it to go “Oh my God” and rush out of the room. No action was taken on it, though, and it must have gone back to its slightly high baseline at some point.)

My GP said sometimes a combination of two different blood pressure meds is needed to bring the baseline down. (Mine actually reduced when I was additionally given betablockers due to AF.) And there are some lifestyle things that can help us too, eg reducing salt in the diet, exercise even if done from bed/chair, relaxation, breathing exercises, etc.

I think it would definitely be worth talking to your GP if you can - and as someone has said, maybe speak to the BHF nurses for advice?

A quick glance at your previous posts shows you’ve been battling through some very significant health problems since a young age, so I wanted to say a massive good on you for the way you did what you could with the couch25K to try to be as healthy as possible. It’s so hard when so physically limited, isn’t it?

Wishing you good luck with this. Jx

[Wildstrawberries in reply to JaneFinn]

thank you very much for your supportive response. I have been given an extra med today to hopefully manage things a bit better. Thank you for letting me know your own experience as well.

I achieved great success with the couch25k but almost immediately upon its completion and substantial health benefits i succumbed to quite a serious illness and then caught Covid which made me even more unwell. I lost all of the gains and have had very poor health since. My worsening BP is an indicator of all the benefits lost and a battle ahead if I’m to lower my risk.

I have poor mobility and no support network so it’s very difficult to engineer an exercise program that would adequately deal with this sufficiently quick enough.

I hope you are coping well yourself and managing with your BP. A lot has changed in the last 3 years for all of us.

Thank you again,

[PecanSandie]

When I was first diagnosed I took one medication which wasn't enough to bring the pressure to 120/80, so I they added another class of medication. They also upped the doses. At one point I was taking three different classes (Beta Blocker, Calcium Channel Blocker and Diuretic) but I stopped taking the diuretic because I don't think it was helping my kidneys - now I am only on two. Be firm with your doctor - tell him/her that you want your blood pressure to be under control.

[Wildstrawberries]

thank you for taking the time to reply. I developed a secondary Cancer and had quite severe Covid. I spent a period in hospital and as I don’t have a wider support network my return home was difficult and prolonged. I spent most days in bed with a Covid induced lung problem as well as recovering from Cancer. I have had very limited activity for several years, most days were largely in bed, The increased BP has gradually taken hold and I have gone from a fairly normal 120/80 to crisis levels in that period,

[Wildstrawberries]

thank you for taking the time to reply. I am sorry to hear you have had your problems too with this. I am on 3 meds now too so hopefully it will help this time. I have spoken to the doctor as you suggest and I’m hoping the new drug will help. I need radical changes but I’m not equipped to make them. Hopefully I will get enough time to lose weight and find some solution to inactivity that is significant enough to have an impact.

Thank you once again