Question about B/P? My daughter has high blood pressure for at least 6 mnths now. The Dr said to cut?

Question

back Ibuprofen and it helped for a while. Then the psych gve her Addreall for ADHD and it syrocketed! They took her off it and it has come down but not down ENOUGH! It's been about 3 weeks or so and it is usually about 130/something. Yesterday she got blood work, Psych is checking to see if something else is causing it, and she saw the ER Dr for a cough. He said pertussis. I've looked it up and I know you can have it for a few weeks before symptoms start- so could that be making her B/P go up? It was 152/93 at the hosp. Maybe the cough did it? But what I would also like to know is how long can this go on without meds? She's 23 &mentally challenged. She's stuck in the middle. But, she see's a Dr Thurs for an allergy shot,. Is it time to put my foot down and DEMAND they do something? How long before she has a stroke or heart attack? She is also overweight. She's aware of the problems assoc with it was on her way to losing when the cough came along. That's Life I guess, right?

Answer 1

152/93 is not dangerously high, at least not for the short term. When I first started out in the medical field I was taught that a normal adult blood pressure is 90/60 to 150/90. In the emergency departments where I work we do not emergently/aggressively treat a patient's blood pressure unless the diastolic (bottom number) is near 120 or greater (such as 200/120). Otherwise we usually just make sure that the patient is aware of the problem and have them follow up with their primary doctor...who is much better suited to treat their hypertension. With that being said, recent research now indicates that the ideal blood pressure, for an adult, should be around 110/60 or so. This is to prevent long term damage to the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys that will manifest later in life.

Adderall is a stimulant and can cause both heart rate and blood pressure to rise. Pertussis (Whooping Cough) can definately make your blood pressure rise secondary to the increased intrathoric (within the chest) pressure from coughing.

You might want to continue to follow your daughter's condition, and after she is over the pertussis (good luck with that, it sucks) if her blood pressure continues to be high and worrisome, discuss it with your doctor. Perhaps you could suggest that they try putting her on Clonidine (also known as Catapress). This is a very effective medication for controlling blood pressure, and has an off label use of controlling ADHD. I have seen it used pretty well on children as young as 10. Warning, when you are on it regularly, it works wonders on the blood pressure, but if you stop it suddenly you can get rebound hypertension and your blood pressure can get dangerously high.

I know that you have heard this before, but diet and exercise are perhaps the best ways to control hypertension. Also, frequent exercise and activitiy can be as effective as medications in controlling ADHD in some children.

Also, once she is over the pertussis, you may want to start checking her blood pressure regularly and keeping track of it...to show your doctor. As another respondent mentioned, this will avoid "white coat syndrome." Also, if you do this only at the grocery store or pharmacy it will prevent you from over doing it. So people will become "freaked" by a blood pressure reading and will take it over and over again at home. Everytime you take it again, unless you wait awhile, you will artificially raise the blood pressure. Also, "freaking out" can cause the blood pressure to rise.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Make sure she eliminates all salty foods and snacks. Salt causes the body to retain water which can cause a high blood pressure. Be sure to have her blood pressure checked at grocery stores and drug stores as well to see how high it is. Stress - especially if one is nervous at the doctor's office - can cause a false elevated blood pressure. This is called "white coat syndrome". Since she's been tested so much this isn't likely but you never know... Pain will also cause the blood pressure to go up - so that is the most likely reason her BP was up and the hospital. For a serious BP elevation the doctor can prescribe medication to control it - but there are side effects of these medications and I would worry that they may interfere with her other meds. Pertussis is a serious illness - also called whooping cough. It is very unusual for someone her age to get this - unless she did not get her childhood immunizations. If that is the case - I would get her to the doctor ASAP and make sure that all of her immunizations get up to date. Since you have an appointment for an allergy shot on Thursday - that would be a great time to look into this. Also make sure she is immunized against Hepatitis B and Meningococcus as well.

Answer 3

First of all, there is no such thing as "the blood pressure", so "it" can't be either high nor low. There are four different pressures, all of which perform different functions, behave differently, don't rise and fall together, and they simply can't be lumped together and called "the Blood Pressure" That's just silly, and sloppy science. The way the cardiovascular system works is match "supply" with "demand, by varying Mean Arterial Pressure while also varying the impedance to blood flow by dilating or constricting blood vessels. It does this by varying both the pulse rate and the amount of blood pumped out at each stroke. So the Mean Pressure can NEVER be too high, - but of course -in cardiac failure, it can be too low. The brain sets the level of Mean pressure, which is {diastolic plus one-third of pulse-pressure} -pulse pressure being the difference between systolic (the top one) and diastolic (the lower one). It sets it at a level appropriate to deliver the correct bood supply to all the organs, including the heart, and the brain itself. Sometimes, in order to do this, higher than confortable levels of systolic pressures are the result. I don't know what age you are, but a rough rule of thumb for your systolic is "100 + your age".** (see source reference below). If it's wildly above that, it should be of concern. I swear by homeopathy, but only when orthodox medicine has failed you. So go see your doctor, and get the best advice and don't substitute homeopathic remedies until orthodoxy has failed. It probably will, because even the drugs companies admit that most of their medicines don't actually work! Then return to homeopathy. Inability to sleep has nothing to do with hypertension, and the pain in the back of your neck too is irrelevant. Get your doctor to investigate those separately. Pain relievers are mostly safe and effective, and sedatives to allow you to sleep (on a temporary basis) will assist.

Answer 4

High blood pressure used to be the disease of the elderly but due to lifestyle changes, more and more young people are getting it younger. (High fat and salty diets, smoking, alcohol, etc are predisposing factors. But your daughter is only 23, so it shouldn't be the case. you also mentioned that she is mnentally challenged? You have to define this, does she have down's syndrome. There are alot of congenital defects associated with heart defects that may cause hypertension. If this is so, then correction of the cardiac defect is a must. If she doesn't have a congenital heart defect, examine her kidney function, it there a chance that she has pheochromocytoma or an adrenal mass that can cause hard to control high blood pressure. Ask the doctor to tell you what her idfferentials are and whether they have ruled it out. search the internet for facts about hypertension.

Answer 5

It's definitely possible that the meds can be causing her B/P to skyrocket but I'm sure she needs the meds to prevent other health issues. It's a lose/ lose situation. All you can do is monitor her diet. I am in the same situation as your daughter and instead of going off the meds that I desperately need, I have had to drastically change my diet, and I exercise a little more. I have a hard time with strenuous exercise, so I ride my bike and walk a little. I have had the B/P problem for years now. I don't think you need to worry about her stroking out as long as you pay close attention to her diet and exercise.

Answer 6

this did it I am taking vitalmag and that was the end of knowing that I had problems with high blood pressure
I take 2 in the morning
some times a good b vitamin that that me feel calm when I was stressed

Answer 7

my mother had high blood pressure took some supp and changed her cleaning products detergents to all natural
her supplements is
2 vital mag
4 b-complex am 4 pm
this will help her b/p and make her calm try it give a week you and the doc will see a diff
and the weight to because b- complex reduces cravings
on that site you can ask more qa

Answer 8

what i mess i feel for you and your daughter .... i also have high BP and my Doc told me to do one SIMPLE thing ... exercise... it works really ... i got a job with Curves the woman's fitness center and started doing the work out ... and things have worked as the doc told me ... i droped the BP and no longer is on the meds ... also i have high Blood sugars i am diabetic and they have droped as well .... here are a few links for you to check out ... good luck with all
Lori

Answer 9

i dont know im sorry to hear about it though :(