what is high bp

[peter999999999]

new study i was reading on some medical journal saying 120/90 not normal for the majority. 160/100 is ok and does not require any treatment as found does not cause strokes etc esp as you age, docs and companies make money prescribing pills that in the majority cause more problems,

[Happyrosie]

In the UK docs do make money when a proportion (I think it’s 80%) of the patients on their books with hypertension are ‘controlled’ - and as you say Big Pharma make a lot of money! 120/90 isn’t normal in much of the First World ‘cos most people are hypertensive. I believe the Japanese

I don’t know whether the research you’ve been reading is a good controlled trial and peer reviewed etc etc??

I wonder what Blood Pressure UK think about it?

Anyway, I personally am happy to use the medicines prescribed which are keeping me at around 120\80. I think of medicines in this way: I’m 75, my body isn’t dealing with things quite right, so I need to supplement my (excellent) diet with extras. I.e. medication.

[Eviedog12]

Hi there,. The trouble we have is that there's varying degrees of what is "normal" BP. I've read that 140/90 is perfectly acceptable yet my doctor thinks that's too high. Being in the medical world, not a doctor though, I try and keep up with the latest trials and reports. Personally, I hate medication but if it's doing its job I guess I may have to accept it.

[peter999999999 in reply to Eviedog12]

in my younger days it was always 100 plus your age, it depends what doc you get, id rather live 160/90 no pills feel great than 120/80 feel like crap, i walk 10 miles a day now, live life etc,for 2 years felt really ill on every pill doc gave me. so will you live longer better healthier by reducing bp, or does it scare you,anxiety etc taking them it did me.it does make you think when you feel better off them,

[Eviedog12 in reply to peter999999999]

I know what you mean. I feel awful most days, although I don't walk as you do, I have an active job so I guess my exercise is gotten that way. My goal is to get off the meds I'm on as the side effects are not enhancing my life by any means Ive never felt so rubbish. I also find that doctors just dole out meds then leave you to it but when you go back to say about the side effects, they either don't believe you or just dole out another pill. Yes, I'm glad the meds are working, but I don't want to take them.

[peter999999999]

well if u feel ill most days thats not living is it, its awaste of life, go out enjoy yourself i bet u live longer ,plenty of ways to get healthy

[Bodoni]

Hi, are you able to provide a link to the source of this report please. I would really like to have a read of it?

Have been on my meds for a year now and want to come off them and will be arranging a consultation with my GP to discuss my options.

I appreciate everyone is different and no two case are the same but daily exercise (walking) and the discovery of beetroot juice (which is not to everyones taste) have shown improvements for me with an average of 140/100 readings.

Losing some weight after the Christmas excess is my next goal and a friend who used the Keto diet has managed to shed multiple stones in weight and now is off her BP meds completely.

[peter999999999 in reply to Bodoni]

ill ask the wife she was reading it to me on one of her health places

[Reader7]

I choose to trust my doctors. Both my parents died of strokes...I've seen the damage done by strokes...loss of mental and physical capacity. Even though I exercise daily, maintain a healthy weight, and eat a healthy diet, my blood pressure is very high due to heredity. I take four medications to control my condition. I had some side effects initially, my body has adjusted to the meds and I feel fine. Please think twice before you abandon your doctor's recommendations. I understand wanting to abandon meds, but don't let one study change your mind...show the study to someone with a medical background to interpret the findings.

Best of luck and health to all of you!

[peter999999999]

ive been off pills 10 months now feel perfect, at my age 74 this year im doing well,feel 20 again,on pills felt i would not see another xmas, better things than pills to lower bp, doc told me to stop drinking vodka once,told him my dad was at stalingrad on the rusian front ww2 and drank a bottle a day,doc said i bet he did not live long,told him he died last year 104 years of age, he did not no what to say, i trust how i feel,

[peter999999999]

Since 2003, 120/80 mmHg has been considered the traditional textbook definition of normal blood pressure. The recommendations stated:

-blood pressure of 120/80, considered normal

-blood pressure readings of 130–139, considered “pre-hypertension”

-blood pressure above 140/90, considered high blood pressure.blood-pressure

The definition of “normal” however, has changed over the years. At one time, it was believed that normal systolic blood pressure was 100 plus your age. In the 1970s, intervention wasn’t even recommended until pressures exceeded 165/95. Prior to 2003, 140/90 was considered normal.

The reason a higher blood pressure was and is acceptable in older people is because as we age, blood vessels become more rigid. As a result, it is not uncommon for the systolic pressure (the top number) to increase. Today, a reading of 120/80 is considered “textbook normal,” but according to earlier blood pressure standards, someone over age 40 can have a 140/90 reading and it can be considered perfectly acceptable. Depending on age and the state of one’s health, readings above 140/90 can also be considered ‘normal’. That said, the current thinking which suggests that a reading over 120/80 is considered ‘high’ and requires medication to lower blood pressure, simply isn’t true.

In fact, in 2013 new updated guidelines came out again. The new recommendations stated:

-adults age 60 and older, recommended target blood pressure under 150/90

-adults age 30 to 59 recommended target blood pressure under 140/90

-adults with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, recommend target blood pressure under 140/90.

To me the standards in the 1970’s and the current updated guidelines are more acceptable than the 120/80 ‘textbook normal’. One size does not fit all when it comes to health. Taking age and overall health into consideration is an important factor in deciding what is healthy or normal for the person in question

Source: Dr. David Willia

[Hidden]

My mum died after 2 strokes. Before her strokes she was fit and active. Afterwards, she was a different woman.

[Lulu2607 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, same here. Very sad.

[KBMosia]

A lot of what I have read high blood pressure is 140/90 and normal is 120/80. Personally I would rather try the natural way to try and keep my blood pressure in check. I have been on some blood pressure medication and suffered horrible side effects and I was miserable. Now I excersice and eat a healthy diet and my blood pressure does not rise above 125/83. My GP is ok with it, most important to me is that I feel happier and well. I am 66 years old. It is worth trying the natural way , there's a lot of good information out there to educate oneself about healthy aging and nutrition. You have nothing to loose but a lot to gain.

[peter999999999]

the trouble is most i no will not change there lifestyle,they eat crap,drink no exercise and are happy just taking a pill so they can carry on as normal, mind you i dont no one who looks healthy or moves about much, but as long as they are happy does not really matter,for me the pills were unbearable and caused no end of problems,so i decided to change and it works for me, never check my bp now,thats a cause of anxiety, i no when i feel well without chasing numbers,everyone has a choice but docs seem to scare you onto pills,

[lettingoffsteam in reply to peter999999999]

My blood pressure was 244/133 on diagnosis so not being on medication isn't an option.Plus having had high blood pressure for a while has led to a thickening of my heart called left ventricular hypertrophy which puts me at higher risk of all sorts of things.I take my meds but I've also changed my diet, lost 5 and a half stone and exercise regularly. The meds aren't great but I wouldn't advise living with elevated pressure long term either.