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What Causes High Blood Pressure After Sauna Therapy?

Posted on Fri, 2 Dec 2016

Question: utilize my hot tub twice a day, I'm sure this raises my bloof pressure. Should I have additional meds to account for thr hot tub raising the BP? Currently I avoid the hot tub when I know I'm going to have BP measured. Seems as if I'm cheating.?? I'm 75 year old woman in generally good health who exercises moderately.,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern

Spikes in blood pressure can occur especially in conditions that provoke anxiety or stress. Based on a single reading , dose adjustment would not be wise.

A more appropriate way would be to take at least 3 readings of blood pressure per day for 7 days. You can share those readings with your doctor. If the baseline reading of 130/ 85 is the mean reading then there is no need to increase the dose. If, however, the readings are persistently elevated then the medication or dose can be altered accordingly.

Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Let me know if you have any query

Please consult your doctor before deciding on any further course of action.

For future follow up / correspondence you may ask me directly at the link given below

http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/Funnel?page=askDoctorDirectly&docId=68107

Dr. M.S. Khalil

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (6 hours later)

We are missing the larger question: if hot tub is part of my daily routine, I'm misleading my doc when I skip it on BP days, aren't I? My "normal" state includes 2x daily soak; shouldn't my BP tests (and meds ) include that information?

[I am NOT making this suggestion because of one reading....getting the reading merely triggered the larger awareness of what is "normal." ]

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello again.

A slight rise in BP up to 10 mm hg due to sympathetic nervous system can be acceptable with a hot tub routine especially if it comes back to baseline within a few minutes.

Readings of spikes after a hot tub routine should be taken and shared with your physician. This is certainly not common where a warm bath would affect the BP to such an extent.

If the relation is causative between the hot bath and hypertension in your case then BP meds can be adjusted accordingly in consult with your doctor.

Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar