High Blood Pressure

Brian21

I found out I had High Blood Pressure a number of years ago, and take medication to control it.

I was wondering if any other cyclists use Blood Pressure Monitors at home as part of their training regiment or just to keep better track of it....

What kind of monitors do you suggest....?
is there a model which can be used during training...ie spinning,etc...??
how do you incorparate the monitor into your training...?
is there a combined heart/blood pressure monitor for cyclists...?

Any help would be useful...

Thanks Brian

flapsupcleanup

I use a home monitor (I think I bought it at Wal-Mart, I forget) for periodic checking of mine. They are all pretty much the same. However, BP is not like heart rate which is useful to know during a workout. BP changes all the time, it increases during exercise but that is a normal and good thing. What you are concerned with is BP when you are relaxed. This tells you how hard your heart is working all the time. Monitoring it during a workout wouldnt provide any useful information.

Good luck

Square1

I have also just found out that I have high BP. I train 5 days a week (mostly endurance rides and one interval day). I have a BP cuff that I can use myself. I check it once a week. I haven't incorporated it into training - my limited understanding of BP during exercise is that it rises substantially. It's the resting BP that my nurse + wife tells me to watch.


How has your medication affected your riding performance - or has it? I'm just about to start meds and am worried how it might impact my training.

JTE83

Why do you have HBP when you train a lot? Are you way overweight? Or is it from the foode you eat?

Square1

Neither. I'm 5'9" 165 lbs, and I eat a low-fat vegan diet. I might be able to bring it down a bit by cutting out added salt and beer (grrr), but it would probably still be considered high.

60% of hypertension is lifestyle related, 40% is genetics. I could do everything exactly right and still have high BP.

It's all in the family.

thomas_cho

I have high blood pressure diagnosed in my late 20s. My lifestyle did not help, but I am sure that most of it was due to genetics.

I use a cuff type of monitor.

The only time I had my pressure monitored while performing excercise was in a heart stress test. Thats to test the health of the heart under load.

max63

yep i was diagnoised about a year ago with high blood preasure , i've always been active ate the right foods , i'm 42 years old ,6' 3" 198 pounds fairly muscular......
my doctor prescribed a couple of pills that i take now and initially i found myself getting a little light headed.....but that could have been my mind playing tricks on me , everything is perfect now , good healthy heart rate and my BP is perfect
i've spoken to doctors and researched the reason why a healthy , active person would have HBP , what i've discovered , sometimes it's diet , lack of exercise but most of the time it's genetics....
i've been told that you should choose your parents well

don't worry , Brian21 , you can still be active and cycle as much as you want , if anything having HBP has gotten me more active with cycling....
i check my BP in the mornings about twice a week before excercise...
i use a bp cuff monitor with heartrate indicator , another person who you would never expect to have HBP , is Joe Montana QB 49ers

Square1

I've been in and out of Dr's offices for the past three months trying to figure out what to do. Two days ago the diagnosis was finalized - essential hypertension, a problem that no change in lifestyle can solve (help, yes, but not solve). I was put on an ARB (Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker) called Avapro on Tuesday, and my BP was down to 117/78 by Thursday from 165/95.

Does anyone have experience with this type of drug? How has it affected your cycling performance? Any precautions?

ptlwp

I have to take Diovan hct and have so, for a few years now with good results; 120/80...without it I can go up to 190/98. If only I could lose about 175 pounds; a teenage son helps pile on the pounds.

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

rjdirgo

From what I understand and I am not a doctor but there are 2 types of BP medicine, one's that slow your heart rate down and one's that diolate your blood vessels. As a cyclist you probably want to look at the kind that diolate. I take atacand which does not interfere with my training. Also I found that it takes about 3 months for this medicine to fully take effect. I am happy to say that my BP is now under control.

ptlwp

Yes, my problem is probably the vasodilator kind. My doctor compared it to a garden hose that's been kept outside in the sun. When once it was flexible and soft and giving, it gets harder, inflexible and more likely to snap.

Such is life, eh?

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

otherworld

Try Hawthorn Tea.

Hawthorne is a prickly hedge that is probably European in origin but common now around the world. Tea can be made from the leaves flowers and berries. I use berries and crush them when needed because they keep. The prepared product is often available in health food stores.

Hawthorn is a proven agent for lowering blood pressure, has other health benefits and unlike synthetic medications has no known adverse side-effects.

Jay.

ptlwp

thanks....I tried a pre made preparation in capsule form...didn't work but perhaps if I can find it myself and brew it up, it would be worthwhile. Good thing my spouse was a botany major in college.....probably would say, don't eat a thing!!!! You HAVE to have special training. He is awfully carerfull.

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

freeagent35

I'm an unhappy member of this club, by virtue of heredity. If I am careful about what I do, I can usually keep in the 125 to 135 over 75 to 85 range. I use an Omiron cuff style monitor. I purchased a large cuff as I have a larger than 14" bicep. My vitamin regimen includes Coenzyme Q10, potassiuim, magnesium, Omega 3 (fish oil one day, flaxseed oil the next) and garlic. I also started drinking Hibiscus tea based upon some favorable studies. The tea seems to have had some of the most impressive results. I make it as iced tea, mixed with cinnamon or orange spice tea for flavor. I am considering asking my Dr. about a Thiazide diuretic as this is supposed to be a good first line (cheap and effective) for hypertension, and also helps to keep you from getting kidney stones. I have just gone through a sonic lipotripsy (failed) and then laser surgery (successful) to remove a large stone. I wouldn't wish such a thing on my worst enemy. Best of luck to all.