There's so much discussion about blood pressure that it seemed churlish not to enter another little bon mot or so.
It used to be that a resting bp of either parameter being over 140/90 was considered high. This today might do for a sixty year old but 130/80 is now considered by many to be a much more comfortable reading with a commensurate lowering of numbers, raising of boundaries, as age decreases.
Far too much emphasis is placed on the resting part of a bp reading. Outside of sleep zone, a decent 24hr ambulatory bp machine is not concerned with inactive readings. We, as pilots, are not usually inactive just after that No5 goes bang leading to coke tins and Ray Bans flying off the glare shield and that's the time we need to stay fit and mentally focused, which you can't do if old grizzly has your chest in a bear hug.
Kidney problems are no fun either, as an idle cockpit distraction, stones take some beating. Hypertension is one of the little purple breakfast treat's worst friend.
So to answer the question, as it were, get a decent base line cardio check, take the necessary Muti, as approved by the CAA, keep a record of it yourself and fly off into the blue leaving all heartaches, other than the female kind, behind you!
Last edited by cavortingcheetah; 27th Sep 2013 at 17:43.