17 yr old and high blood pressure? Advise please?

Question

Hi, i'm a 17 yr old male and i was told by a doctor at the hospital that i have "very high blood pressure for my age"..... I believe it was 154 over 86 when i was in the hospital a few nights ago but i'm not 100% sure (I was in the hospital for a recluse spider bite)............Anyway it went down a little, to about 134, but it shot up to 162 over 76 or something like that and it seems like it gets higher throughout the course of the day.........I am not overweight or anything...i am tall, 6'3 and 205...but i don't consider it overweight with my height................Anyway i don't know anything about it other than its high but i would appreciate any advise as this is a very strange thing that has occurred in my life.....thank you.

Answer 1

It could just have been high from the stress of being in hospital...

The best way to assess it accurately is to have a 24hour recording done, during which you are at home, getting on with your life as normal, and every so often, the machine which you have to carry about, will take your blood pressure.

If it is still high over the course of a day, then you are at risk of a number of health problems including a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. Your doctor who did the 24hour monitoring woulkd need to discuss the options for reducing your blood pressure which could include lifestyle changes or medication.

For more info on high blood pressure and the types of changes you can make to reduce it, click on this link...

http://www.prodigy.nhs.uk/patient_information/pils/high_blood_pressure_hypertension.htm

Answer 2

I'm 19, and I have high blood pressure. It can be hereditary, several member of my family have it. But it's also one of those things that just happens.

The good thing is your diastolic number (the bottom one) isn't that high. Are you on medication for it? Your doctor may prescribe Lisinopril (or something equal) and possibly a "water pill" (Hydroclorothyizide). You may or may not be urged to loose a few pounds.

High blood pressure among youth (which not commonplace) is becoming more common. No one knows why, but it's probably because society doesn't exercise as much & eats the wrong foods. You'll be okay once you start on pills. The only downfall is that you (and I) will probably never get off the pills. People can have them reduced, if they manage it well, but you never recover from high blood pressure.

Answer 3

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Answer 4

Hei, Dont worry man... It is controlable... U will need some medication as well as meditation... It'll work... Let me say something serious... U R really tensed with this matter... That also can elevate BP.. So First of all unserstand that It's not a fatal problem if it is diagnosed n treated properly... Strictly follow UR Doctor's advice, Medication, Diet etc... Do small work outs.. It's better to walk 20-30 min a day as begining.. extend it to 1 hour slowly.. U may need a long course of medication, It can be cured.. even if it is not stabilized, U can keep BP balanced with medication n lead a normal life..

Regards..

Answer 5

I, too, was diagnosed with hypertension one month before my 18th birthday in 1970. At times, my BP would get up into the range of about 200/150 and I'm not kidding. I had to be hospitalized twice at age 18 and again at age 21 because the meds of the day were not very good at keeping it under control. (At one point, I was taking thirteen pills per day!) Fortunately, since the '80s, my BP has been in a consistently normal range and I only have to take three pills per day, thanks to the tremendous improvements in anti-hypertensive medications. Of course, most people have to take the meds for life but it's better than the alternative. Good luck!

Answer 6

My husband and I both have high blood pressure. Our conditions are controlled very well by prescription meds. I take Adalat. Ask your doctor if meds would be a good option for you.

Answer 7

That's a question for a medical doctor, not us Yahoos here in Yahoo Answer. My guess would be no, not really. I'm in my late 30's and mine is borderline; I work in a stressful job and don't eat right sometimes. We're only guessing here but maybe the recluse spider venom had something to do with it?

Answer 8

ask your doctor for appropriate medication that you can take.
these are just for preventive measures.
also, you can tone down from high-cholesterol foods.
smoking and drinking is definitely a no if you wanna live longer.
i know someone who had high blood pressure when he was still 16.
he had a mild stroke when he was 27, even if he did go through preventive measures, like avoiding fatty food, drinking, & smoking.

Answer 9

Reduce the Salt content in your meals.little work out can help u
change in you diet a little bit and then try u will have no problem

try Meditation & Pranayama best for Blood pressures

Answer 10

You know high blood pressure can be hereditary.