High blood pressure

[MGhia]

My friend has been getting a reading of around 140/90 over two years... it fluctuates and drops sometimes... but his last three readings have been around 150/90. He is 30. We immediately went to see a doc who recommended some tests.. his sugar after fasting has come around 230 and his total cholestrol is around 276... with all these three conditions together has made us worried. The doc says he needs to start with a health lifestyle for 2 weeks and then take all the tests again... am a little worried that all these three coditions have set in together .. could anybody suggest if this is really as serious as I am imagining it to be? Thanks!

[ed34]

youre very welcome and congratulations. You can send me some champaigne if you like :)

[MGhia]

Dear Surgi, Jon and Ed, I thank you'll for replying back! Mitresh got on to an extremely healthy lifestyle..a fantastic diet and an hour and a half of daily brisk walking and all his levels have miraculously come back to NORMAL. I am absolutely happy and have vowed to never fight with him again! :) ( we've just been engaged and are to marry early next year !) The last two weeks got me petrified and I thank you for replying back. God bless!

[ed34]

Thats what they say, but the relationship between atherosclerosis and triglycerides is still not really understood. It does seem to have an effect on how useful your HDL cholesterol is. I think trigs are higher in people on high carb diets or those who drink lots of alchohol. They are difficult to get under control in a number of people and drubs called fibrates can be introduced but they tend not to go very well with statins.

[LivingInHope]

200-239 perhaps I should add is considered borderline high risk or mildly high here in the U.S.A..  The goal for total cholesterol is below 200 and the ration of LDL to HDL is important.  Triglycerides being high is also not good, as I have heard these are instrumental in the formation of plaque in blood vessels.

[ed34]

Hi, first to put things in a bit of perspective and hopefully put you at ease a bit. 150/90 is not what you would class as dangerous. 150 is smack bang in the middle of 'mildly' high and 90 is the very limit of normal. It is true however, that the higher blood pressure is over prolonged periods of time, the more likely it will cause damage. Cholesterol is definitely very high at 276, the norm for Europe is 193 but that's 'total' cholesterol which is basically meaningless and is used only as a guide. You need to check the individual lipid levels as stated by SurgiMenopause, to establish the LDL/HDL levels. With cholesterol that high I am guessing your friends diet is not very healthy?
With blood pressure increasing and cholesterol levels that high, the risks for heart disease are definitely higher than they need to be. If your friend smokes, this too will increase blood pressure. Lifestyle changes are definitely required here

[erijon]

It is dangerous if nothing changes. At 30, they have time to take action to prevent any damage. Some simple diet and exercise changes should be the starting point. Cut out empty carbs and foods high in fat. Also, 30 mins of exercise a day will have a drastic affect on their blood pressure. I would mostly be concerned about the high blood sugar. Fasting blood sugar should be under 100 and this may signify some organ damage due to high blood pressure or just indicate a really bad diet for a really long time

Good luck,

Jon

[LivingInHope]

It is very serious.  Your friend does not have extremely high blood pressure, but high enough that if exercise and other natural measures don't get it down, he should be taking blood pressure lowering medication prescribe by his licensed physician.  His fasting blood sugar is in the range that the doctor should have diagnosed your friend with diabetes mellitus.  You did not give the level of LDL (lousy cholesterol) and triglycerides, but for the total cholesterol here in the United States, 240 and above is considered high.  Therefore, your friend's level is high.