Q: My blood pressure has always been around 120/70. I am 70 years old and in great health, don’t take any medication and exercise moderately. Last year we lost our child and grandson in an automobile accident. My BP is now running around 140-150/80. Will this return to normal as time passes or is this rise a permanent one that needs attention and medication?
A: It is every parent’s worse nightmare to outlive their children. Please accept my condolences. Your blood pressure is in the range where treatment is recommended. Systolic pressure goes up as a natural part of aging so it is unlikely this will go away. I suggest you consult with your doctor about the best treatment for you. RESPeRATE is a drug-free option to consider.
I thought there was research and a reasonable hypothesis that BP does not rise naturally with age, and that there is some evidence that excess sodium consumption for decades may be responsible for at least part of what has been accepted in the U.S. as natural aging.
you do not need meds, your bp is not dangerous. Try to address the stress by relaxation techniques/resperate/exercise/diet.
I am not a doctor but it seems to me that treating numbers is more important to most doctors than treating the patient as a human being. The burden of grief can not be measured in numbers. If blood pressure goes up with aging anyhow why treat it, especially if it is just above borderline? Also, the patient is dealing with enormous grief. Blood pressure medication is a trial and error treatment and side-effects, especially when commencing treatment and experimenting with different ‘suitable’ drugs may cause side-effects that only will compound the patient’s misery. One year is not long enough to deal with grief. Surely, if the patient is otherwise fit and healthy observation and helping him/her deal with grief if necessary, may be the better option for the time being. Joining a support group of parents who have lost their children may also be helpful. It is irrelevant how old the children were. Parents always remain parents. All the best.
I thought my BP was awfully high, until I saw the recommendation of 90 plus age. I’m 79. Does that mean my bp SHOULD be 169? What will my doctor say about that? (He hasn’t seen it yet!)
my bp is always around 137/85 but im on medication.for the last 4 months i have been training very hard to shed a bit of weight but there seems to be progress
my bp is 137/85 but on medication same time on excises
Be causious of doctors!My doctor over medicated me when I was 68 because of “white coat hypertension”. My blood pressure was always 125/77. It went up to 155/80 when taken by a doctor and the doc almost killed me with drugs and then more drugs for the side effects of the first drugs. It took me a year to get off the drugs and get back to normal, If anthing you might need a light drug such as 10 mg Lisinopril. My sister-in -law is 72 and her blood pressure went up to 155/over 80 and they brought it down with 10 Mg Lisinpril once a day with no side effects. But give it time before you try any drugs. hope this helps