Clarification on causes of Hypertension?

Question

I'm 34 (6'4" and around 280lb) and have had moderately high blood pressure since I was 18 years old. Always in the same range 145-165/90-100. Over that time, I've tried 5 different meds, gained and lost weight - exercised and not exercised, dieted and not dieted. It doesn't get any better or worse no matter what I do and no matter what I try. Is there a possibility that my BP is just high and there is nothing I can do about it? Also, could this be something as simple as cutting out caffeine or something else in my diet that I'm not thinking of?

Answer 1

There are so many factors that affect hypertension. Diet, exercise, genetics, LDL/HDL levels, sodium intake, peripheral edema, body fat %...the list can go on forever. The sad part about cardiovascular disease (in which hypertension is classified under), is that one thing leads to another. Sustained hypertension can lead to CHF, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failaure, atherosclerosis...and again, the list goes on.

There is no such thing as a "normally" high BP, so don't think that it is ok. At 34yrs old, you are starting to enter an age range where this is going to make a difference. The most important thing you can do, from my perspective, is make sure that your heart is strong and healthy. That means exercise (aerobic cardio exercise), and certainly cut the caffiene (its a horrible drug that this country is addicted to).

If your current doctor does not seem to be helping you solve your problem, find a specialist or another doctor who will give you a referral. If you have other specific questions, feel free to email me and perhaps we can clarify some things.

P.S. Don't believe it when people tell you that caffiene is only a short term stimulant. Heart health is duel between amount of rest and amount of contraction. The more your heart works, the sooner it fails. 3 cups of coffee per day can increase cardiac work by 8% for 3-5hours...multiply that by 5 times a week and your heart is working some serious overtime. Moreover, caffiene is a cardiac irritant that can lead to arrhythmias over time.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Primary hypertension is accounts for 90 percent of all elevated blood pressure. That means that there is no secondary reason. I suspect that your physician has evaluated you secondary hypertension but if not, you certainly should be. Check out this journal article

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030101/67.html

If you do not have a secondary reason for high blood pressure then it is a matter of finding the right combination of medication that works for you. There is no shortage of blood pressure medications. Currently we believe that using several low dose agents is preferable to one agent at full dose. The reason is that you address multiple mechanisms using different medications and you avoid side effects which are usually present in higher doses.

Current recommendations include starting with a diuretic (for example, HCTZ) followed by an ACE inhibitor (Lisinopril) and then a calcium channel blocker (Norvasc). A beta blocker might be the on the short list for the next agent. There are a variety of other unique agents that can be used to augment the above combination if needed. Regardless, blood pressure goals are very rarely not met if you continue to work toward it.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck.

Answer 4

hypertension could be hereditary and if so there is not much you can do about it other than take your medication, eat sensibly, and exercise regularly. Your diet could be the cause, caffeine does have an affect on the heart but it's more a short term affect....it will speed up your heart rate and potentially cause palpitations if you have certain heart conditions. I would speak to your doctor about the meds that you have tried, it is possible to have a higher blood pressure but it should not be dangerously high for long periods of time.

Answer 5

You need medication to control your BP. There are so many types out there and it will be trial and error to find the ones that will work for you. I take Vasoctec, and it works for me, but didn't help my Aunt at all. Caffeine will raise your BP, but do you need to cut it out completely?, I don't think so as long as you aren't over doing it, I have 1 cup of coffee in the am and through out the day I normally have my one downfall, a large Diet coke from any fast food place. The rest of the time I drink H2O. Talk with your Doctor, there is a medication that will work for you, just be patient you will find it. Good Luck KG

Answer 6

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Answer 7

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