Honesty always the best BP policy

Usually I think British Petroleum when I see BP, but since a visit to the doctor it's blood pressure that's on my mind. When she took my BP, which was 180/100, she became concerned. Twenty minutes later she took another reading - 160/100. She's going to check my blood pressure a couple more times this week, and do a blood test to look at my kidneys and thyroid. If my BP has been consistently high all week she wants to get me on meds to lower it. I'm 52, 1.6m tall, weigh 54kg, and don't smoke. I am surprised I have hypertension, and don't want to rush into medications.
- Bronwyn
Treatment guidelines for hypertension are complicated, and are individualised depending on your history, exam and test results.
They go beyond your blood pressure numbers to include things like weight, tobacco/alcohol use, the presence of diabetes, heart, and kidney disease, stroke risk, and the results of blood, urine, and ECG testing.
Some low-risk patients need only diet and lifestyle modification, while others require immediate control with medications.
Make sure you understand your situation and feel comfortable with the decision-making process, because blood pressure control is a lifelong goal not a one-time task.
Two things I see commonly, and would caution readers about are:
* Don't assume that just because you feel fine that you are perfectly healthy.
If you have high blood pressure, get checked out by your doctor.
It surprising how much kidney damage and heart disease a person can accumulate without knowing it.
* Be honest about whether your diet and exercise plan (or your meds, for that matter) are really working.
It takes more than wishing to make it so.
Is your blood pressure being kept at normal levels or is it still too high?
There are times when exercise isn't enough, and times when medications need to be increased.
Don't settle for half-measures.
Gary Payinda MD is an emergency medicine consultant in Whangarei.
Have a science, health topic or question you'd like addressed? Email: drpayinda@gmail.com
(This column provides general information and is not a substitute for the medical advice of your personal doctor.)