High blood pressure

[Dustin]

Yesterday I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I went to the clinic where the doctor did an EKG. The EKG was okay. My blood pressure was high. I asked the doctor about changing my diet. I am now placing myself on a low sodium 2000 calorie diet. Diet Pepsi is even coming off of my list because it is high in sodium. She said okay but wants me to monitor my blood pressure three times a week for the next three weeks. I have an appointment to go back.

Tonight at Wal-Mart my blood pressure was in the hypertension level. My girlfriend has borrowed her mother's electronic blood pressure cuff, which I will begin using when she returns from work tomorrow. If this continues I will have to start taking blood pressure medicine.

Although I have not flown in almost three years, I would still like to be able to pass the flight physical. Is high blood pressure a disqualification? If I have to take medication, is this disqualifying? I have no problem flying as a sport pilot if it comes down to taking medication for health reasons. I am just not sure if I will be able to afford the medication.

I am 36 years old, smoke a little less than a pack a day, and have a stressful job as a supervisor. As a supervisor, I manage staff who are working with developmentally disable people. Staff and clients tend to make the job more stressful than what it should be. I know that stopping the smoking will go a long way towards lowering blood pressure. If I could, I would find a job in aviation again for the lower stress levels.

Advice?

 

[gprellwitz]

If you're an AOPA member, have a look at http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/certification/heart/hypertension.html

Current Federal Aviation Regulations do not impose blood pressure limits for any class medical certificate; however, the FAA has a long-standing policy by which persons with controlled blood pressure may be certified at any class of medical.
The FAA considers blood pressure controlled when the average sitting blood pressure does not exceed 155mm mercury systolic and 95mm mercury diastolic with or without medication. If the blood pressure is controlled and the required cardiovascular evaluation is provided at the time of examination, the aviation medical examiner may issue the medical certificate, as indicated in the revised Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners.

And it goes on to say that most FDA-approved anti-hypertension medications are fine with the FAA.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

FYI, my experience with the store cuffs and the home electronic units indicates those units aren't terribly accurate. Take them with a grain of salt.

Otherwise, sounds like a good plan.

 

[Dustin]

Hi Greg! How have you been?

Part of the plan is to go to the Health Department in addition to checking the pressure at home. The machine at Wal-Mart and the electronic one at home will be taken with the salt grain, although I am limiting the salt intake, lol.

How is that Cessna of yours?

 

[gibbons]

Dustin,

The docs will have good input for you I'm sure. Please listen carefully to what they have to say.

I have flirted with high blood pressure myself and have a family history of high blood pressure. Thanks to a good friend on this board (you can guess who) I decided to try to get it under control before it caused a problem with my flying and, more important, for my health.

I'm not a doc but these are the three areas I focused on:
My weight
My diet
Exercise

Fortunately, I don't smoke so that wasn't a problem for me. If I was a smoker I'd add quitting to my list.

I've been able to bring my blood pressure down to normal or below normal levels by changing my lifestyle. I realize that not everyone can do that. If it means taking drugs to get your blood pressure under control, and if that means not flying anymore, then by all means do that. High blood pressure is nothing to take lightly. Please get it under control with or without medication. Best of luck!!!

 

[SCCutler]

I do not have hereditary reasons for high BP; but several months ago, I had one of those "wake-up call" moments. Mine is all lifestyle, principally stress, poor diet and lack of physical activity.

As a result, I am trying very hard to get back into consistent exercise and, in the bargain, am being reminded that, when I start a day with a good, vigorous workout, the day goes better, I feel better and I get more done. It is mathematically precise.

Changing the way I eat is tough- eating habits are like momentum, hard to change. But I don't like feeling bloated and lethargic, either.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Current Federal Aviation Regulations do not impose blood pressure limits for any class medical certificate; however, the FAA has a long-standing policy by which persons with controlled blood pressure may be certified at any class of medical.

Phew! Now maybe next time I go to the AME, my blood pressure won't spike out of nervousness! (It seems to be about 10 points lower when there's no FAA paperwork in the room...)

 

[MarkL]

Greg brings up a good point. If you find alot of deviation from what the doc reads, take the home unit with you to the doctors office next time and compare it against your docs measurements. Then you will know how accurate it is.

 

[Dustin]

Good idea. I know the doctor's scales read 14 pounds heavier than the scales here at the house. They need to recalibrate their scales, I like the readings I get at home better, lol.

If it sounds like I am making light of this, I am not. I really like to laugh at my own expense.

Thank you all for your replies.

 

[nddons]

Dustin,

The docs will have good input for you I'm sure. Please listen carefully to what they have to say.

I have flirted with high blood pressure myself and have a family history of high blood pressure. Thanks to a good friend on this board (you can guess who) I decided to try to get it under control before it caused a problem with my flying and, more important, for my health.

I'm not a doc but these are the three areas I focused on:
My weight
My diet
Exercise

Fortunately, I don't smoke so that wasn't a problem for me. If I was a smoker I'd add quitting to my list.

I've been able to bring my blood pressure down to normal or below normal levels by changing my lifestyle. I realize that not everyone can do that. If it means taking drugs to get your blood pressure under control, and if that means not flying anymore, then by all means do that. High blood pressure is nothing to take lightly. Please get it under control with or without medication. Best of luck!!!

I'm not sure if you are implying this or not, but controlling your BP with meds is not a grounder in most cases. (I'm not a doc, but I do control my BP with meds, and have had a class III medical for 5 years.)

 

[gprellwitz]

I'm not sure if you are implying this or not, but controlling your BP with meds is not a grounder in most cases. (I'm not a doc, but I do control my BP with meds, and have had a class III medical for 5 years.)

Stan, I don't think Chip was implying it, and yes, we've already noted that the FAA doesn't seem to have probs with BP meds, which is a good thing. I think, though, that if we can control this sort of thing with lifestyle changes, that's much better than with drugs. The other benefits of these lifestyle changes generally allow us to be healthier overall, not just in the blood pressure arena. Now, if I could only practice what I preach!

 

[nddons]

Stan, I don't think Chip was implying it, and yes, we've already noted that the FAA doesn't seem to have probs with BP meds, which is a good thing. I think, though, that if we can control this sort of thing with lifestyle changes, that's much better than with drugs. The other benefits of these lifestyle changes generally allow us to be healthier overall, not just in the blood pressure arena. Now, if I could only practice what I preach!

Yea, but ... what about places like this: www.superdawg.com ? Lifestyle, schmifestyle. :smile:

 

[Everskyward]

Changing the way I eat is tough- eating habits are like momentum, hard to change.

Awww, no more Bic's?

 

[gibbons]

I'm not sure if you are implying this or not, but controlling your BP with meds is not a grounder in most cases. (I'm not a doc, but I do control my BP with meds, and have had a class III medical for 5 years.)

I guess I did imply that. I was trying to make a couple of points: first, I believe a lot of people who are on BP medication could control their BP with a change of lifestyle - not everyone of course, but a lot of folks; and second, no matter what the implications are for flying, even if you need to take a medication that is not approved by the FAA, do whatever it takes to get the BP under control.

That said, the AOPA article referenced in a previous post was confusing to me. "Current Federal Aviation Regulations do not impose blood pressure limits for any class medical certificate". (my emphasis) and "The FAA considers blood pressure controlled when the average sitting blood pressure does not exceed 155mm mercury systolic and 95mm mercury diastolic with or without medication."
So if I show up with 160/100 I can get a second class or not?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I do not have hereditary reasons for high BP; but several months ago, I had one of those "wake-up call" moments. Mine is all lifestyle, principally stress, poor diet and lack of physical activity.

As a result, I am trying very hard to get back into consistent exercise and, in the bargain, am being reminded that, when I start a day with a good, vigorous workout, the day goes better, I feel better and I get more done. It is mathematically precise.

Changing the way I eat is tough- eating habits are like momentum, hard to change. But I don't like feeling bloated and lethargic, either.

I'll ditto everything Spike said. Been trying to do the same, though I've fallen off my exercise routine the past week. Need to get back into the routine--I do feel better when I'm doing the exercise, and I find that when I'm exercising I automatically tend to try to eat better as well.

Question for the docs: somebody told me that a higher-than-normal diastolic (bottom number) is of more concern than a higher-than-normal systolic (top number)... is there truth to that? If so, why?

 

[bbchien]

Dustin, Hypertension is not even a special issuance. You need:

Letter from doc saying "good control, no side effects, doses and names of meds, no apparent coronary disease".
Fasting Glucose, lipid profile and potassium (the latter K+ only if your medications include a diuretic) These are OneTime.
ONE time only, an EKG.

Any AME can issue, any class.

 

[Armageddon Aviator]

Hi

I have lowered my systolic blood pressure by almost 30 mm/Hg by doing the following:

- Stopped smoking completely (was smoking an average of 10 cigarettes per week - hardly significant but still...)

- Stopped eating junk food (burgers and pizzas can be on the menu on rare occasions)

- Severely limited my sodium consumption (processed foods typically contain huge amounts of sodium)

- Increased my consumption of fibers (all-bran cereals, whole wheat bread, oats, fresh vegetables, etc)

- Lost 22 pounds...(that's easy to achieve - eat a lot of vegetables, a lot of fibers, drink a lot of water and eat only when you're hungry - not when you're bored!)

- Started to exercise (not too much - climbing 7 flights of stairs to my office on a daily basis).

That's it...it sounds complicated but it really isn't.

Our lifestyles need to be changed if we want to stay healthy.

You really should try your best to quit the smoking habit - smokers ALWAYS end up paying the price for their habit (rather sooner than later - my 15 years working as a paramedic taught me that much).

Cigarette smoke (beside making you and your clothes smell like a cold ashtray) contain many carcinogenic substances, CO and radicals that destroy the arteries inner lining ).

Just my 2 cents

 

[Dustin]

Dustin, Hypertension is not even a special issuance. You need:

Letter from doc saying "good control, no side effects, doses and names of meds, no apparent coronary disease".
Fasting Glucose, lipid profile and potassium (the latter K+ only if your medications include a diuretic) These are OneTime.
ONE time only, an EKG.

Any AME can issue, any class.

Bruce,

Thank you for your response. Is a letter from any doctor stating these items okay or does it need to be from the AME? My regular doctor did an EKG which showed no problems. Will a copy of this EKG be okay for the AME? Fasting Glucose, lipid profile and potassium; are these similar to fasting labs? Can my regular doctor perform these and send me with a note to the AME? I am not sure how long it will be before I go for my next medical as currently I am out of medical. If I get contol of the high blood pressure without medications, do I have to say anything to the AME?

Thank you for the information.