Blood Pressure 143/81; should I be worried??

True, but the advice provided by me, newsclues, and others will do no harm as followed, even if the OP provided inaccurate information, or just an isolated high reading.

We know our $hit, and provided good advice. You know nothing, and provided nothing but negativity and meaningless semantic backscatter.

I suggest you lay off the caffeine, too.

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

Yes, don't see a doctor, but listen to some knucklehead who tells you crazy story about his friend and tea. Suuuuure...

(by the way, both cocoa and tea, which contain caffeine, have been shown to reduce BP, especially cocoa. So much for your bs)

What a bunch of hogwash.

gahgak wrote:

I just read another thread about how elite athletes don't live as long.

I think in all matters it is best to use your own thinking capabilties, and not rely on some studies from who knows where, another thread, scientific study etc -- no -- use your head, do your own thinking for yourself, use your own common sense.

I agree that everything you type is hogwash, J.R. Good call.

Take more readings, but in general, just lose 10 pounds and I almost guarantee that your BP will be down. Unless you are already at some minimum weight. Sodium and caffeine are commonly thought to be causal, but further research has actually not confirmed this in the long term. The more likely culprit is carbs which leads to insulin which leads to fat accumulation.

Bottom line--avoid sugars and refined carbs (other than immediately after and during training) to avoid the execs production of insulin and you just might see the pounds drop off as well as an associated lowering of your BP numbers.

My brain hurts. There is some relevance to what you're talking about concerning insulin, carbohydrates (specifically fructose), inflammation, and high blood pressure due to atherosclerosis, but you're getting pretty far afield of the question as well as making some assumptions about the OP that are totally unfounded. For starters, how would you know the OP isn't 120 pounds and 5'8", and doesn't have 10 pounds to lose? Weight loss is a statistically supportable treatment for HBP if the individual is significantly overweight, but in the absence of excess weight, it's useless.

Sodium and caffeine have both proven to increase blood pressure in multiple studies dating back decades, so I have no idea what you're on about saying it isn't confirmed. Go to a McDonalds. Order a Big Mac meal with a Coca-Cola. Sit down, wait two minutes, take your blood pressure five times, and average the readings. Eat your Big Mac, fries, and drink your 32oz Coke. Don't get up. 45 minutes after you started eating, take your BP again five times, and average the readings. I will guarantee you have higher blood pressure after your sodium and caffeine-laden meal. Your resting heart rate will be jacked, too.

common wrote:

You have pre-hypertension, and you need to see a doctor that was born after 1980 so you're getting medical advice that wasn't current when Marcus Welby was on television.

Doogie Howser would have been a better reference here, since only child prodigies and inexperienced physicians would fall into the "born after 1980" category.

A physician born in 1981 would be 29 or 30 today. Plenty of time for a primary care physician to follow the standard track of four years undergrad (18-22), four years for medical school (22-26), a three year residency (26-29) and up to a year as a practicing physician.

You don't need to be a fictional kid doctor to have been born after 1980 and be a doctor today.

Yes. It is a fairly recent development, not sure how long they've been teaching it new in medical schools and residencies. This is why it is good to find a physician who prides themselves on staying up to date with the most recent and relevant medical research.

To the other poster who says no one else knows jack- you have important points about how the blood pressure was taken, but I really don't think it invalidates any of the previous comments. Please try and calm down and for the sake of the OP getting information which can actually help. This isn't a thread on Galen Rupp's face mask, no need to be angry.

[quote]newsclues wrote:

Yes. It is a fairly recent development, not sure how long they've been teaching it new in medical schools and residencies. This is why it is good to find a physician who prides themselves on staying up to date with the most recent and relevant medical research.

To the other poster who says no one else knows jack- you have important points about how the blood pressure was taken, but I really don't think it invalidates any of the previous comments. Please try and calm down and for the sake of the OP getting information which can actually help. This isn't a thread on Galen Rupp's face mask, no need to be angry.[/quote

I stand by my original comment and you morons just keep digging a deeper hole for yourselves. None of you would have the faintest clue about how to evaluate the author of the thread on his apparently single and isolated borderline BP elevation. Oh, but thanks anyway for the USA Today version of "hypertension".

Don't get your feelings hurt.

Do you happen to be a pharmacist, nurse, or EMT Xlev2?

newsclues wrote:

Do you happen to be a pharmacist, nurse, or EMT Xlev2?

I'm guessing PA myself!

xlev2 wrote:

I stand by my original comment and you morons just keep digging a deeper hole for yourselves. None of you would have the faintest clue about how to evaluate the author of the thread on his apparently single and isolated borderline BP elevation. Oh, but thanks anyway for the USA Today version of "hypertension".

Yeah, they're giving him such terrible advice as "see a doctor" and "eat less salt".

Freelove wrote:

Yeah, they're giving him such terrible advice as "see a doctor" and "eat less salt".

I'm stupid, and don't know what else to say.

ALH359 wrote:

/:;(66$75347)&86 wrote:

Just checked my BP, had reading of 143/81. Should I be concerned, is there anything I should begin to change or do?

You're fine. Mine is about the same and I run 6-7 days a week all year round.

Dude?! Just because you have the same numbers doesnot mean that both of ya dont have high BP. You should shape up too.

140 is too high. Normal reco is 120/80.

Mine runs around 110/70.

My 65 yr old mom has 140.

Problem is salt. Most Americans get too much salt in their diet.

I saw my dr. yesterday for my annual check up. We talked about this topic. She said high blood pressure and high cholestoral can be genetic. Take more readings and if it is consistently high see a doctor.

this is myth perpetuated by the anti-salt industry.

You may also want to check out the DASH diet - it will have you cut out high salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and saturated fat. Instead, eat lean meat, fruits, vegetables....well, basically what any healthy diet plan will recommend. Try it for 2-4 weeks as the effects are pretty rapid. I can guarantee that if you are eating a lot of junk and drinking beer and/or soda, you will drop some pounds, if not lower your BP.