Hypertension

[proprpm]

I am fifty and at my last medical for PPL my bp was a bit high but he let me pass. I have since bought a bp mnonitor and the lower reading is usually around 93. I have not discussed this with my GP as I am worried how this might affect employment and insurance. I understand that you can take medication for this but how does it affect your medical for flying?

[got caught]

It doesn't appear to be a big deal. I would certainly advise a chat with your friendly GP, who should be able to arrange several bp checks on different occasions to confirm the diagnosis.

Are there any lifestyle "tweaks" you could make yourself ?:confused:

Try running a search for "hypertension".

[ecnalubma]

If your overweight, lose some.
If you smoke, quit.
If you don't excercise, start.
If you use salt, use less.
Drink coffee, drink less.
You get my drift.

Lifestyle changes can have a profound effect on your total health. Try controlling it with change in lifestyle before going the medication route.

['I' in the sky]

From my experience, if your bp is more than about 150/95 your AME won't be happy.

There are various things as mentioned that you can do to try to reduce it which in my case didn't reduce it in time so I was put on lisinopril which is approved by the CAA however you then have to ground test it for two weeks before you can fly with it. I also had to have an ECG and ultrasound heartscan with a cardiologist, none of which revealed any problems.

My bp is now in the range where without medication it is sometimes comfortably within limits and sometimes marginal. Of the things I tried to do about it (More exercise although I was pretty active anyway, eat a bit less and drink less ) ,my own feeling is that what had made the difference is the combination of these leading to a weight loss - from just over 2 stones overweight to now about 10 to 12 lbs overwieght ( my opinion only ). So I am hoping that if I can shed the bulk of that it may stabilise and I can dump the tablets. I will let you know if you're still interested by then !

[Daede1]

Just to put a bit of a downer on this - im below 30, and my blood pressure (Without medication) is 170/110. Before anyone says the obvious dontsmokedontdrinkdontenjoyyourlifeinanywayshapeorform, i am not a big fat lump, played rugby to county level up to last year, and aced the RAF selection test and fitness test three years ago.

There are a range of medications that can sort you out, although chances are that it will interfere with your ability to fly.
To give you an idea, i was put on beta blockers (Atenolol) which took my heart rate down to 34 beats a minute, and meant that i basically went all grey and ill looking. Then i was switched onto Olmesartan, which works by counteracting the cortisol in your blood stream. Cortisol is released when you get stressed, tightens your blood vessels, blood pressure goes up etc etc.
Ergo new pills mean that when i get stressed, my blood pressure stays normal, and when im not stressed, the pills have no effect (As my system has no cortisol in it).
As a pilot, im assuming that you would need something that is a reactionary treatment like olmesartan, not proactive like atenolol.
Your best bet by far is to get your ass along to the docs and let him check you out. One trick, dont let them take your pressure straight away - its always high when you walk into a docs. And you can book it with the nurse too :D

[Reiver]

Hypertension or high blood pressure.
Has anyone any experience of this and of the limits set by the Medics?

[got caught]

try a search

[27mm]

Hi Reiver, try the sticky reference to this thread - sorry no one seems to be replying to you (CAA UK website). Am Hypertensive myself, so understand your predicament.

[SimJock]

Here are the relevant links:

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=49&pagetype=90&pageid=3408

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/49/SRG_Med-Hypertension_Algo_Jan_05.pdf

[BelfastChild]

CAA website says 160/95. Just on quick word on this though. If I am stating the obvious I apologise. This is an arbitrary figure. Whether you are just above or just below is probably inconsequential. There is really no "ideal" BP other than to say the lower it is, the better it is. Certainly 140/90 is better than 160/95 and 120/70 is better than 140/90. Rather than concentrating on reaching a certain BP, you should concentrate on making it as low as possible. Won't bore you with how to do it - the link on the CAA website says it all.....

[Fountain Pen]

Well as I undestand it...120/80 is perfect...yes I think that CAA will go to 160/95 as max before you would need to have tests on kidneys etc and maybe go on Blood Pressure medication....

To low a blood pressure is bad also...but I've had problems with high boold pressure as every time I go to get my medical done and the doctor puts that cuff on my arm I get a lump in my throat...and yes my blood pressure is heading North...

I ended up doing a 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure test....and the result was that on average I had a reading of 130/79...but at the time of the medical I had a reading of 170/100...so it was concluded that I had a "labile" blood pressure...which means unstable...I say I just don't like doing medicals with some of these docs.....:oh: