Question 4 Mrs D
 

I think I read info on this forum about Statins but I could be wrong as I'm all over the net. my friend has high blood pressure but would prefer supplements if possible. i searched HBP but didn't find what I thought I saw. Is there a forum for it or any good threads on it for her to read

Sorry to go OT but I figured you might be able to toss me a lead. Thank you

Statins are supposedly for controlling high LDL levels of cholesterol.

Hypertension is different. There are several families of drugs for this treatment, and often things work differently on different people. Also the medical community keeps changing its recommendations, over the years as to the favored drugs to use.

Today it is mostly ACE inhibitors which are the backbone of hypertension treatment. Recently diuretics were recommended, but side effects have come up with diuretics so they are being used more cautiously.

Beta Blockers were popular 25-15 yrs ago, but they have fallen off first line recommendations too...but still work for many people.

This is a Wiki article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertension

What it boils down to is life style/sodium intake, and tolerance of various side effects. The ACE inhibitors also have low side effects, work pretty well, and even show some anti-inflammatory actions in blood vessels.

When a person is just beginning on treatment, it is really a trial/error vs response that is done. Some people need changes and others do well first off if they are lucky.

Difficult patients usually end up with a mix of 2 or more drugs from each family, working together.

The various drugs will
1) dilate blood vessels
2) slow heart rate, reduce cardiac output
3) ACE inhibitors block renin which raises blood pressure
4) ARBs are angiotension receptor blockers (similar to ACE)
5) reduce sodium load (diuretics)
6) work in the brain to centrally lower alpha adrenergic action of nerves

OTC items increasing nitric oxide in the blood vessels may dilate them and decrease pressures... l-arginine and l-citrulline are examples.
http://www.drignarro.com/

And magnesium is known to help reduce blood pressure, if that person is deficient. It relaxes blood vessel walls to improve circulation.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

Most doctors are pretty good at prescribing blood pressure drugs..that is really a main part of family medicine today.
Just tell your friend to report side effects and keep communication lines open during treatment. It may even be a good idea to get a blood pressure cuff and keep a diary at home.
(some people get elevated readings in the office and there is even a name for it-- White Coat hypertension! )

I've known of "White Coat Syndrome" for many years,...... since I have it!
When I go to my doc's office, I have to have my BP taken at least 3 times,
at intervals during my visit, for my doc to get a good reading.
Once by the nurse at intake, once by my doc, personally
when I get into the exam room, and once more - towards the end of the visit.

That is what happened to me last week... it was the worst white coat attack I have ever had! I actually had 4 readings...the last one was normal (or what passes for normal for me).:rolleyes:

White Coat Syndrome
 

How big a difference are we talking about?

I tried to learn biofeedback some years ago for pain management. It didn't help much there, but I was/am able to drop my systolic by up to 10 points within a few minutes.

I am talking about systolic of 190 dropping to 150 in 40 minutes.
My diastolic changed from 90 to 80 during the same time frame...
using different arms, and waiting for the blood vessels to recover.

I've been telling my doctor about this for years and she never believed me. I don't show signs of HBP in the eyes or elsewhere.
I take my pressures at home. Sometimes my diastolic goes down to 70 ! But my systolic is averaging 140-150 on good days.

I've been tested for pheochromocytoma, and I don't have that. I am just highly reactive..emotionally. I take my meds well, and am very compliant. I've been hypertensive since a severe systemic staph infection from a black fly bite in Maine 30 yrs ago. I was very ill with that, and barely missed a brain abscess. (I was on vacation there). I recovered, but was left with hypertension afterwards. The doctors there told me if I hadn't driven to the nearest hospital when I did, I would have died 12 hrs later. The black fly crawled under my sunglasses and bit me on the eyelid. I had a 103 fever the next day!

Interesting you mention that. The last time I had my eyes checked, the optometrist asked me if I had HBP. I don't, but the discussion ensued, he looked again, and advised me I have an anomaly that looks like the result of HBP. He's seen it before, and it's not a problem - just a coincidence - but now when neurologists, etc. take a peak and pause, I know why and there's a short discussion about the anomaly. (shrug)

Doc

I know a person who had weird eye exams... scars from histoplasmosis in the past was the tentative diagnosis!

your non dominant arm averages 10 points lower on blood pressure than your dominant arm.

Thank you for the help. Sorry I didn't get back sooner. My computer takes vacations.