Hypertension; High Blood Pressure? -

My dad has hypertension, and none of his medicines seem to be working. What medicines do you recommend?

In addition to meds, as someone else suggested, lifestyle changes can make a big difference. If your dad is open to the suggestion, you could show him this website: is for those with heart disease wanting to live successfully and to help people make the right heart-healthy lifestyle choices. I hope this helps... good luck to you and your dad!

It takes more than just medicine to get high blood pressure under control....there is also lifestyle changes that are required, healthy diet, exercise, no smoking, etc. No 1 medicine works for everyone, maybe his Dr needs to change or adjust the one he is currently taking....but before that, he needs to make the lifestyle changes if he has not already.....medicine can t fix us if we are unwilling to try to fix ourselves.

I recommend the one(s) his doctor prescribed. If their not working go back to the doctor and explain why you believe they are not working. Then listen to the doctor, he has a lot more education and experience in this than you and I put together. Besides isn t that why you pay him! Terry

This Patient Guide is written for the loved ones of heart patients who are dealing with the short-term stress that comes with a test, procedure or recent diagnosis of heart disease. It explains why support is so important to a loved one with heart disease. It also offers practical strategies on how to support a loved one while also taking care of yourself.

There are tons! Here are some of the most common Lotrel Verapamil Lotensin Benazepril Avalid Hyzaar Diovan Benicar Toprol Norvasc Coreg Lasix

He s got to deal with his own doctor. It would be foolish for anyone on here to suggest a medication. I currently take two separate meds for my hypertension that work very well.

have your dad return to the doctor.

If excessive amoints of body fat lead to hypertension and similar problems, cant muscle mass do the same? -

one must understand that fat and muscle are two completely different substances that play equally diseperate roles in the human body. natural fat usually consists of triglycerides and cause problems when excessive amounts conglomerate along vessel walls, decreasing effective vessel diameter and thus increasing blood pressure. muscles consist mostly of proteins that dont block blood vessels - in fact a quot;muscle pumpquot; exists that uses voluntary skeletal muscle contractions to help force blood back up through the vessels in extremeties where blood pressure is greatly diminished. the only problem with excessive muscle mass (EXCESSIVE is the key word) is that if it is not constantly used, and thus is not required, the body naturally converts a fraction of it to fat, thus increasing body fat levels.

Essential hypertension has no known cause but seems correlated to body weight. It is know to occur in the obese AND in body builders. However, there is no indication that it is the cause of that hypertension. One theory is that the addition capillaries that are needed to supply blood to the additional tissue in both the obese and over muscular causes additional load on the heart, but that is a theory only and has never been proven. This is an area of speculation, only. HOWEVER, fit is better than fat at similar blood pressure levels. Given a choice, go for fit AND trim! There is a point of body fat percentage that is correlated to a longer life span. Go for that.

dude, fat is fat and muscle is muscle. You re probably not going to gain as much muscle as obese people are fat.

Cardio vascular problems coincide with being out of shape.

That s the spirit timmy!!! You don t want any of that nasty muscle to ruin your stellar body!!

Noooo.................... Hypertension is closely related to atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries when fatty substances (ex: cholesterol )...bad fats AKA (Low density lipoprotein )LDL s build up in the arteries...with narrowed arteries....chances are, obviously you ll get hypertension! There is higher blood pressure because since the arteries are narrowed, the blood hits on the walls more... SO...Obesity and hypertension is closely related...all that fat is most likely from all those fatty stuff you ate and those fatty stuff can get into your arteries...narrowing it slowly causing you get a higher blood pressure. However, muscle mass has nothing to do with hypertension our the arteries...atherosclerosis is caused becauses of LDL (bad fats) clogging not the muscle mass...

All weight is definately not the same. The main thing is the hormones that excess fat tissue excreets into your body. Aside from this they re slow to absorb sugar from your blood (they are already full!!!!) They don t use alot of calories to survive, and all the extra weight reeks total HAVOC on your organs, namely your heart and pancrease, and to some extent your lungs. Muscle on the other hand, works very different. It consumes large amounts of energy to survive, quickly atrophies when not in use, and excretes VERY benefical hormones that are involved in endless cycles, the lactic acid cycle (the burn) which cause growth hormone. (That stuff that eats fat and build muscle). I DO HAVE TO NOTE however!!!! Manly large bodybuilders die of heart attacks, even though their colesterol and other readings may be exemplory. But one must also take into consideration steroids, AND the fact that a lack of protein in the diet causes the body to steal protein from the heart to feed other muscles after strenouse excercise (long term)

No, muscle mass is actually a booster for your metabolism and means that you are physically active. It is better to weigh too much if it is muscle than to be a couch potato.

I get severe shoulder to elbow pain and body pulses. Is this schlarderma? -

I also have pulmonary hypertension and wear a remoldulin pump transfusing 24/7.

It doesn t sound like sclerderma because usually with sclerderma, it affects the skin and some of the body organs. Are you seeing a rheumatologist? If not, ask your Dr to refer you to one and he can tell you if you have it or not. Good luck:))

It sounds like it could be. I remember my mother showing me pulsing muscles years ago and she has an extreme scleraderma condition. Roping muscles, hair loss, darkening and lightening of the skin, and extreme pain of the joints are also symptoms. It is also hereditary. I have an appointment on the 31st to confirm my mother passed it on to me. Please see a doctor, it can be quite debilitating.

A question about Hypertension? -

I went to the Doctor s yesterday and he said i have high blood pressure. Does anyone have any advice on steps I should take...aside from medication to lower my blood pressure? Thanks

Cardio exercise at least 3x weekly for 30 min or more. Reduce salt intake and the biggest factor, if you drink alcohol. Stop, I am willing to bet within weeks your blood pressure will decrease.

Sometimes some of your meds cause that, 5 doses of Albuterol gave me a BP of 195/99

You should also restrict your salt intake. Exercise moderately and get enough sleep. Make sure to ask your Doctor on your next visit.

If you fall into the prehypertension range (120–139/80–89), your doctor will likely recommend lifestyle modifications, including losing excess weight, exercising, limiting alcohol, cutting back on salt, quitting smoking, and following the DASH diet. You can read about the DASH diet here If your blood pressure is 160–179/100–109 mm Hg or higher, you and your doctor may need to try various combinations of medications to find what works best for you. You will also need to make aggressive lifestyle changes.

i am reading quot;the healty heart for dummiesquot; to get knowledge about heart and it functions.this book says high blood pressure is not good for you.i would encourge you to borrow this book from library and read it. this book talks about how to manage your blood pressure also. And guess what, today is heart day. Hope it helps.

generally depends on your family medical history but you can control it by diet and exercise.

What is the difference between calcium channel blockers and beta blockers? -

I ve heard on the news that they have been testing and found that calcium channel blockers and Ace inhibitors are best used to fight high blood pressure. I take a beta blocker Atenolol and HZT (Hydrchlorothiazide) for hypertension. Is this the same thing? Of course I will follow this up with my doctor next week but would like some laymen input.

Varies from case to case, Ace inhibitors are more on prescription list, However Calcium channel blockers are given as they prevent SVT (Speedy heart rate). Your case seems to be of CCF and uncontrollable blood pressure, wuth low working capacity of heart(EF). However your doctor is the best judge , he might omit Beta blocker if necessary. Nothing to worry, you are going to be alright.

a beta blocker slows the heart down but hctz is a water pill it does not affect the heart. Hctz gets rid of the extra water because water retention increases blood pressure because water causes pressure on the blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers prevents calcium ions from getting into cells particulary heart muscle cells.

Calcium channel blockers and Beta Blockers both work for hypertension, they just work a little differently. I have also heard that beta blockers aren t the most effective for very high blood pressure. Depending on the physician and the patient s specific needs, one may be considered preferential over the other. HCTZ is a mild diuretic and many times first line choice for high blood pressure. I think if your Atenolol/HCT is working for you, and you feel okay taking it (some people are fatigued on beta blockers), then you are fine continuing it. If not, a calcium channel blocker may work better. Let us know what the doc says. Hope this was somewhat helpful.

Could a dull, intermittant pain on the left side of my neck be a sign of an impending stroke? -

I am diabetic and have hypertension. Had a thalium stress recently that was apparently normal. What kind of test should I get to make sure my cartotid artery is not blocked?

You can probably get an ultrasound done to check out your carotids. This is what they used to check my mom s after she had a stroke. You definately need to get that checked out.

big words! but since no one else did ill try to answer.. do whatever ur doctor thinks u should do

Secondary to hypertension? -

i am making a nursing diagnoses, can i write there the problem, decreased cardiac output related to increased vascular resistance SECONDARY to hypertension? thnx

I would like to help, but the question is so loosely phrased that it doesn t really make sense. I m not criticizing you, but simply trying to let you know how impossible it is to formulate a guided answer. But here goes: (1) CO has an inverse relationship to TPR. So when CO goes down (typically upon going to sleep for instance, or periods of deep relaxation) then TPR rises. The converse is also true, in that when the body (or mind) is subject to stress -typically after a big heavy meal, or exercising on a treadmill- greater throughput of blood and thus higher CO, is called for, and TPR goes DOWN to facilitate flow, and minimizing the extent to which Mean Arterial Pressure has to rise. (The Mean Pressure Equation, Pm = CO x TPR) (2) Quite what you mean by quot;secondary to hypertensionquot; is unclear. The above mechanism (para.1) MUST go on and continue operate, both when quot;hypertensionquot; is present or in its absence. That is, whether or not the patient is hypertensive doesn t make any difference. The brain and nervous control systems still ensure that TPR increases with decreasing CO and vice versa. So one s not in any way quot;secondaryquot; to the other. They are independent of each other and complementary. which is why acute hypertension can be fatal. A patient can live with severe hypertension, and can carry on a normal relaxed life. Similarly, a person without hypertension can stand severe stresses. But when a hypertensive is subjected to transient excessive stresses, and the heart is CAPABLE of producing (L. ventricular) pressures to satisfy the body s demand for adequate CO under these conditions, THEN blood vessels rupture... Do feel free to make a further posting if you need more clarification.