Dudelsack 

Hypertension is an invention of Big Pharma in order to get people hooked on needless and expensive medications and blah blah blah. Visit the statin thread on training and nutrition for the full effect.

Rons

A year ago my BP was running around 130/88 average. I quit lifting wts competively and starting walking and cycling. My weight and BP came down quite a bit but last September for some reason it spiked for about 3 weeks. As some one else stated make sure you are well hydrated and also well rested. I take my BP and pulse every morning. I can tell when I am getting worn out because my pulse will start elevating and if I don't start resting up my BP will elevate. Your BP has a tendency to creep up as you age.

qcpmsame 

Rons,
Agreed from my experience with my own blood pressure issues. I was already on a hypertension Rx when I developed kidney disease so my blood pressure was an issue for me to be concerned about. As I began my nutrition/diet modification and cycling I got a Cyclist Diary (the Friel one) and began keeping track of my weight, nutrition and rides each day, along with my blood pressure. I take the diary with me to each doctor's appointment so he can see the trends in everything and along with my lab work can make any adjustments needed to keep me healthy. I can see any changes that may portend a problem and call for an appointment as well as check to see if my nutrition is not straying from the plan we have worked out. So far this has worked well for me. I was taken off my hypertension medications last visit and the diary lets my doctor and me make sure I don't start letting it get out of hand, again.

Bill

OldsCOOL

(terminology has changed to suit as well, no longer "borderline" but now "prehypertensive")

Rwc5830

I've read the same. I do have a BP machine and will measure mine every once in awhile. Sometimes it is below 120/60 range but most of the time it is in the high 120s to high 130s depending on when I measure it. Most of the time the lower number is in the 60s. When I'm at the doctor it's often higher, guess I get nervous about the test.

No big change for me since I starting cycling two years ago, I cycle a lot of miles and it's not leisurely either. The charts consider me borderline obese at 6'1" and 180-190 lbs depending on time of year... 60 yrs old. My non-cycling friends think I'm skinny....

BTW, my resting heart rate is often in the low 40s when I wake up. I do have a free iPhone app that can check that. Normal range for me is 40s-50s during the day except while exercising. 47 BPM right now while on the computer.

I do have a full blood panel done each year as part of our insurance plan and all my numbers are good without medicine, although they have improved some with cycling. Guess I'm lucky because so many people my age are taking some type of medication. This years results are due next week so we'll see.

One thing I could improve on is eating habits but it seems like everyone is different and I think we don't fully understand how all the genetics play a part. Getting better on what I eat is on my wish list this year.

As usual, it's best to find a good doctor if you are concerned.

eja_ bottecchia

Now that I am recovering from some recent cardio vascular issues, I can vouch for this advice.

A simple blood test can determine if there is kidney damage. The doctor can check your creatinine and eGFR levels to check your kidneys' function.

Elevated BP can be the harbinger of other bad things. For your own health and peace of mind get it checked out.

bruce19

Saw my new PCP today. Like her a lot too. My BP was 143/90 in her office. She wants me to be very conscientious about sodium in foods. I told her I don't use a lot of salt and she reminded me that processed foods are full of sodium on their own. So, that's the first thing. Also cutting back on coffee and alcohol. She referred me for the full panel of blood tests. After a quick exam, and my telling her I am a cyclist who does 100 mi. a week, she decided I was the "poster child" for age 67. She was impressed that I am currently only 4 lbs. above my college football playing weight. It was all pretty encouraging. FWIW, my Amazon purchased BP monitor gave me a 160/96 reading just before my doctor's visit.

David Bierbaum

My blood pressure plummeted from 130/whatever, down to right around 90-100/60ish, when I stopped drinking the (then recommended) "proper hydration" amount of water. Now I just drink when I'm thirsty. I figured just drinking less water is the ultimate diuretic!

As we get older, our arteries get less elastic just like our skin, and so our BP will inevitably go up as we age. In fact I seem to recall that there is some new study or other that states that Doctors shouldn't go prescribing drugs to try to control the BP of the elderly so strictly. Ah! Got it! New guidelines for blood pressure.

bruce19

Thanks, David. Those new guidelines are very interesting. My new PCP is very reluctant to prescribe meds for high BP thus the one month modification to diet.

Bikey Mikey

Very true, but in my case, I take a very mild BP med(low dosage) to protect my kidneys as I'm diabetic. I talked to my doc about stopping the BP med since cycling has my BP in the athletic range--the doc said he wants me to keep taking it, as I stated, to protect my kidneys. I take Benazepril(Lotensin) which is an ACE inhibitor.

a77impala

We live in a society that has a pill for every conceivable condition. It's easier to pop a pill than exercise or change our eating habits.
Several years ago I had constant chest pain, had several tests and have a perfectly normal heart, stopped taking a medication prescribed for an unrelated condition and pain went away. I have not taken a prescription drug since.
I am not advocating this for anyone else, just relating my situation. We each have to make our own decisions, doctors are to eager to push pills.

VNA

There is a protocol to follow when taking blood pressure:

Should be horizontal when you wake up, otherwise one's blood pressure will vary tremendously throughout the day's activities!

Terex

I had not heard of this. Could you point me to a reference? Sounds interesting. I know that the best way to take your resting pulse is immediately upon awakening, but I've read that as long as your BP cuff is positioned level relative to your heart, that BP readings are consistent between seated and reclining. You also want to try to be seated for 5-10 min. before measuring and you shouldn't cross your legs. If you take your BP immediately upon waking, most people have a full bladder, and that can throw off the measurement.

VNA

You are right it does not make sense, the only thing (maybe) is to take it at the same time everytime?

Zinger

That's me.....pretty consistently, at least when I'm at the doctors office having it checked.

bruce19

https://www.drdavidwilliams.com/take-...#axzz2r8CRNtSc

qcpmsame 

Thanks for that link, Bruce. Much appreciated, I have suspected sloppy readings/methods by the doctor's office and myself. Now I have a standard to use.

Bill

Baboo

Sounds like your new Pcp is going to get your BP down, if diet and exercise doesn't do then she will most likely go with BP meds. Write your BP down as you take it each morning and take those readings with you when you go to the doctor. Take your BP monitor with you also to check it against their readings. A reading of 160 over 96 is way to high anything above 90 on the low reading usually gets treated, strokes are no fun.

Allen

MickeyMaguire

I am on a restricted sodium diet. When I am riding all the time, my blood pressure remains lower, like 107/74 or thereabout. Over the winter, it creeps upward a bit, but not to a dangerous level... 134/83 or so. So... I take Losartan Potassium and I have the bike on a trainer in the den. I have been riding to keep the BP under 120/80 and it is working (last read 117/74). My arteries are clear. I have a heart defect where the heart pumps strong, but, it does not relax like it should afterward. So, the Losartan potassium works well combined with cycling.

Terex

Good doctors aren't eager to push anything - other than good health.

Rwc5830

Just an update to this. I received my annual blood test panel results this week. I compared these to my results over the last 4 years. My numbers from Jan 2011 were good and are almost identical to the numbers I acheived in 2012, 2013 and last week for 2014.

Why do I think this is odd? I did not start cycling until May of 2011 after my tests in Jan 2011. Keep in mind that these test results are 35 different items. All sort of stuff. I don't have copies of results older than 2011 but my numbers were good on those. I've always had good results on these tests.

As I mentioned my BP and weight were always considered borderline. I've gained a little weight since starting cycling but have lost inches. At about 6'1" my weight goes between 180-190. I would like to see my BP go down but maybe only a major change in diet would do that because the exercise has not made a dent in it. We're talking around 19,300 miles on a bike in 2 years and 9 months, almost 600 miles a month avg.

Maybe that is as good as it will be for me. Not really complaining because I get good numbers but it seems like everything I read says exercise will help with this stuff.