Q: I have lost over 30 pounds after making drastic improvements in my diet and have taken up distance running. My BP has dropped significantly to the 130/85 range. My MD says than a past EGK indicated some hardening of the arteries and wants to prescribe medication. I am opposed to taking any type of medication, but don’t want to risk my health. Am I doomed to medication for the rest of my life???
A: You did not say what type of medicine your doctor is recommending. Since your doctor has mentioned hardening of the arteries, I suspect your doctor is worried about your cholesterol level. Although a healthy diet and exercise help, your current blood fat level may still be too high. You need discuss what needs treatment and alternatives with your doctor.
Further Reading:
Heart and Artery Damage and High Blood Pressure – Heart.org
How to Treat Hardening of the Arteries – eHow.com
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It seems pretty apparent that “discussing things with your doctor” will only lead to his again telling you that you need to take medication. God forbid if that is the statin drugs!
You are probably not doomed to medications the rest of your life, unless you start taking all the medications that doctors recommend to you. Just my opinion, but doctors tend to push drugs for every health problem, and even for “potential” health problems today like the newest ridiculous drug-selling malady, “pre-hypertension”!
You didn’t say how old you are, but aerobic exercise as you are doing is very helpful to revitalizing your coardiovascular system, including blood vessels, and lowering blood pressure. And back to the “cholesterol issue”, I reduced my cholesterol from 220 to 165 with diet, exercise, and red yeast rice instead of the statins. There are many natural, healthy treatments available for those who search and try alternatives. Good luck and all the best to you!!
130 over 85 is normal, no matter what your doctor (aka big pharma) says. I don’t think that EKG can detect general “hardening of arteries” – it can detect heart hypertrophy (hardening) and impaired blood flow to the heart. Ask for your “not risking your health” – you ARE risking your health by taking any medications. The question is which risk is less – taking medication or not. If risk of not taking medication is greater that the risk of taking it, then you don’t them. You need to understand your condition, evaluate risk, find out the risk of taking medication and take appropriate path.
As for me, my “normal” blood pressure is 145 over 105 and I don’t take medications. Researching side effect of any BP medication I decided that it is not worth the risk. At one point I had 175 over 125, and I did take medications because it was affecting my quality of life.
Good luck!
Im shopwing an effect of high blood pressure — slight but observable edeme of the feet — for over a year. Ive alkso developed slightly higher BP usually 130-140 by 80-90. So how can u say that that type of slightly higher BP is harmless and ia normal?
A diastolic pressure of 105 must be investigated. It may indicate stiffening of arteries which is not good!