Suggest Treatment For High Blood Pressure In An Elderly Person
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Your actual blood pressure values are a little elevated (above the normal ranges), but it is not really concerning.
From the other hand, a single value of high blood pressure does not indicate chronic arterial hypertension.
It could also happen in healthy individuals during physical or emotional stress.
For this reason, I would recommend you to closely monitor your blood pressure values frequently during the day (in sitting position after 10 minutes of total relax) for a week. You should write those values down.
If your blood pressure values is most of the time above 135/85 mmHg, you should consult with your attending physician, refer him these blood pressure values. In such case besides a careful physical exam, some other tests will be needed to exclude possible secondary causes of high blood pressure:
- a resting ECG
- a chest X ray study
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes
- kidney and liver function tests for possible dysfunction
- thyroid hormone levels for possible dysfunction
- fasting glucose for diabetes
- blood lipid profile for dyslipidemia.
If your blood pressure values remain elevated above the normal ranges most of the time, you may need to start anti-hypertensive therapy.
Some lifestyle modifications will also help maintain normal blood pressure values:
- reduce salt and caffeine intake
- perform a lot of physical activity (walking, aerobics, etc.)
- try to lose some pounds if you are overweight.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri