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Is Blood Pressure Of 120/60 A Cause For Concern?
My mum has high blood pressure, her mother has angina and my fathers father died of a heart attack. My own blood pressure is 120/60 I have been prescribed the combined oral contraceptive however was unable to recount this family history at the time of prescription- is it a bad idea to take this pill or can I still take it?
Mon, 6 May 2019
Hello,
I can see your family history has significant heart disease. It is not fully bad or has a harmful effect if you take contraceptives. yes, there are little hazards of heart problems if you use a contraceptive, especially for longer times and if used ruthlessly. But I will give you some points to follow. With these guidelines, you can stay with contraceptives as well as maintain your health.
1. Do not increase the dosage. Better to stay with a moderate dosage. If you have told me the generic name of the drug, I would have told you the recommended dosage.
2. Every 6 months, do these tests:
- Complete Blood Count
- Lipid Profile
- ECG
- Liver Function Test
- Kidney Function Test
3. Weekly, track your Morning Blood Pressure. Keep a record in a notebook.
4. Keep a record of your Weight. Remember, contraceptive may cause water retention which may temporarily increase weight.
5. As you have not told the reason why you are on contraceptives, I cannot give you any alternatives. Otherwise, I should have given some alternative medicine. Or I may set the regimen/course of contraceptives in a protective way. So, I suggest you follow the course of contraceptives and do not take more than required. When you will be done with your course, please do not take extra contraceptives.
6. Try to have some:
Walnuts, almonds, Omega-3 fatty acids, oats, beans, garlic, fruits like Apples, pears, grapes strawberries, citrus fruits and grapefruit contain soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol. NO alcohol and smoking. You can take sometimes coffee, given that you have no lower abdominal cramping.
In case, you found lipid profile is little higher, you should start taking Atorvastatin
Follow the above 6 points to have control of the hazards that you are concerned about. Feel free to ask if you have further query. Do the tests as said above. Here we have skilled doctors. We are always online and ready to serve you. Do not worry. You are in our good hands.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Dipan Samanta, General & Family Physician
I can see your family history has significant heart disease. It is not fully bad or has a harmful effect if you take contraceptives. yes, there are little hazards of heart problems if you use a contraceptive, especially for longer times and if used ruthlessly. But I will give you some points to follow. With these guidelines, you can stay with contraceptives as well as maintain your health.
1. Do not increase the dosage. Better to stay with a moderate dosage. If you have told me the generic name of the drug, I would have told you the recommended dosage.
2. Every 6 months, do these tests:
- Complete Blood Count
- Lipid Profile
- ECG
- Liver Function Test
- Kidney Function Test
3. Weekly, track your Morning Blood Pressure. Keep a record in a notebook.
4. Keep a record of your Weight. Remember, contraceptive may cause water retention which may temporarily increase weight.
5. As you have not told the reason why you are on contraceptives, I cannot give you any alternatives. Otherwise, I should have given some alternative medicine. Or I may set the regimen/course of contraceptives in a protective way. So, I suggest you follow the course of contraceptives and do not take more than required. When you will be done with your course, please do not take extra contraceptives.
6. Try to have some:
Walnuts, almonds, Omega-3 fatty acids, oats, beans, garlic, fruits like Apples, pears, grapes strawberries, citrus fruits and grapefruit contain soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol. NO alcohol and smoking. You can take sometimes coffee, given that you have no lower abdominal cramping.
In case, you found lipid profile is little higher, you should start taking Atorvastatin
Follow the above 6 points to have control of the hazards that you are concerned about. Feel free to ask if you have further query. Do the tests as said above. Here we have skilled doctors. We are always online and ready to serve you. Do not worry. You are in our good hands.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Dipan Samanta, General & Family Physician
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