Q: Is it possible that taller, larger boned guys should have a higher blood pressure than “normal”? Seems that the pressure in the arteries needs to be higher to pump the blood to the extremities. I am 6’7″ and 260lbs and in pretty good shape and my BP without meds is in the 150/90 range. I have been on meds for 20 years. When I am on meds it is 130/80. I get dizzy when I stand up but my doctor insists my BP is high and keeps me on the meds. Have there ever been studies to show if height plays a role in “normal”?
A: Normal body functions are fairly constant between body sizes. Taller adults have the same range of normal blood pressure as do shorter adults. Studies have shown it is your weight that has an impact on your blood pressure. Heavier people are more likely to develop high blood pressure.
Many people on blood pressure medicine have a problem with dizziness when they stand up suddenly. The trick is to rise up more gradually. Your doctor is following evidence based medicine guidelines by continuing to treat your high blood pressure.
Further Reading:
How Weight Affects High Blood Pressure – HealthLine.com
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I have been on meds for the past eight months to lower
my bp which reads 148/72 on an average day, but I noticed that since I have been exercising the pressure
when down and evrything was fine untile two weeks ago my reading elevated to 178/92. I increased my meds from one a day to two a day, but no changes, Can you tell me what would elevate your bp, I watch everything I eat or drink
DON’T take two tablets without consulting your doctor first! You MUST vistit your doc and tell him/her what is happening. Don’t self-medicate!
I was once told by a pharmacist that she noticed that with some bp meds there was a loss of blood pressure control after about six weeks, that it is quite possible to have loss of blood pressure control after several months and that this may be a reaction to medication.
That’s also the time when things seem to get a bit tricky, with most drug to bring bp under ‘control’ again. Personally I think I would ask the doctor whether it would be safe for you to go off medication for a while and try diet, weight reduction and exercise for at least half a year to see what happens. Something is wrong if bp rises to 178/92 with drugs. Check out the Dr McDougall diet, but if you are really concerned about your high pb you MUST check with your doctor to find out what is causing this rise in bp.
Sorry, typo. Shoulg read: “…., with more drugs added to bring bp under ‘control’ again.
I notice my blood pressure goes up under stress and stays up until the stress is over. However if I check my blood pressure and it is high I worry about it being high and this causes it to go higher. My solution is i just don’t check my blood pressure and am satisfied i can’t do anthing about it as I’m not taking any more medication with its side effects. my pause stays low and my bottom number stays good it is the top number that can jump up to 155. i’m 69
Actually, the “trick” is to find ways to naturally reduce blood pressure and get off those toxic, dizzying meds! There are many natural approaches to lowered blood pressure. Google is a great place to start! Good luck!
For the tall guy and the people getting dizzy, there is a condition called Spurious hypertension. This happens when your Pulse Wave is being amplified due to elastisity in arteries, their gradient or vasomotor tone. These things are nice to have but they make your BP reading looks high. Since doctors only check brachial pressure with a cough and ignore the central BP or it’s hemodynamic parameters, you will get dizzy if pressure is low around there.
I’ve wondered the same thing, and I’m not sure that the medical profession really accounts much for “out of the average” people. I’d honestly be surprised if all my vitals were the same as a 5’nothing, 95lb cheerleader type… I”m 6’5″ 265# and have always worked out, I could stand to loose a few lbs, but proabably less so than most “normal” people do at under 185#.
Another thing is that I’m guessing that most equipment isn’t sized correctly to deal with this (the last time I had an EKG they had to connect 2 sets of leads together to make all the connections), and have found that I read high when they put a “normal” BP cuff on me, but read normal when they put one that actually fits correctly (though at this point I’ve gotten so stressed about it that I’ve started doing the white coat syndrome thing).
Also, I believe that most doctors do not use correct procedure taking blood pressure. Last I heard you’re supposed to take 3 readings for multiple reasons including reacting to the actual procedure of taking your BP, and I’ve found that I usually read significantly higher on the first than the other 2 readings.
When I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure in my early 40’s I was prescribed the classic beta blocker and diuretic but found when I played with my 2 and 6 year olds when putting them to bed at night, I would get dizzy when I rose suddenly. My doctor suggested I take a baby aspirin every day and afterward, the dizzyness stopped!
Normal weight is 100# for the first 5 feet of height plus 5# for each additional inch. Which would put you about 50# overweight unless you have some seriously huge muscles. Try losing the excess weight and cutting back on salt and you may not need medication.
I agree with you that extreme height differences effect blood pressure. I am 4′ 10″ and around 100# and my blood pressure is chronically very, very low even when I am in the “overweight” BMI. When I was pregnant my BP went WAY, WAY up but b/c it was still within “normal” the Dr. didn’t worry. I had complications–they should have worried. How many studies have really looked at the under 5 foot, over 6’4 populations? We make up less than 5% of the population. Sometimes common sense gets lost in all that medical literature. Or, more likely, Drs are too afraid they will get sued if they part from the accepted, documented standard of care. I also have problems with meds b/c of this–I half whatever the “adult dosage” is for everything. Even someone with a college-level understanding of chemistry ought to realize me and this 6’7″ guy should not be getting the same dosage of meds. BUT–thats what the medical community tells us. Really?? Does anyone really think we could drink the same amount of alcohol? Again, common sense. Also–Lynn, your “normal weight” calculation is off base unless you are a girl. Guys start at 115# at 5 feet. And, once again, I disagree with this chart anyway. According to your calculations I should weigh 90 lbs. Ridiculous. I start looking see all your bones- scary anorexic- when I dip under 98#. Proving the point again, these studies/charts are really not done for people in the top/bottom 5%.