High Blood Pressure

[Unregistered]

Feeling like I had high blood pressure, I went to my PCP last week and she confirmed what I thought, a blood pressure of 180/80. The Doc went on to perform a routine physical, and that will be listed as the reason for the visit, then proceeded to give me advice to lower the pressure (such as a huge reduction in salt, etc.), she also took blood samples as she wanted to investigate my lipids among other tests, I will know those results in a few days. To be honest, I did spend a week working in the warm sum of Florida the week before, and I admittedly "indulged" in all sorts of high sodium foods, beer, and the like. Apparently thus the reason that the PCP would like to re-evaluate in a couple of weeks. I am not sure how much a "salt binge" would cause high blood pressure.

Going forward, I will visit again in a couple of weeks for a check again, and then she told me that if there isnt any improvement, we would discuss medications. I am mid 30's in age, so this is a first for me.

While I put my health way ahead of my flight medical, the medical is important to me too. I do have a family history of heart disease (both sides), so this fact concerns me and my PCP as well. I want to make sure that I will have all of my ducks in a row in order to get my third class medical renewed (I still have three years left on my current medical) if indeed I end up on medications. Realistically, I would like to make the lifestyle and diet/excercise changes to avoid medications alltogether, thus avoiding a medical problem in the first place and make myself more healthy too.

Any thoughts? Anyone been though an renewal with a high blood pressure diagnosis and medications before?

 

[TMetzinger]

Assuming they don't find any cardiac problems related to this, I believe all the common meds (if they put you on meds) are FAA-approved. This is really not much of an issue once your BP is under control.

 

[slowjoe]

It's really a non-issue. I've had hypertension since puberty. (hypertension only in the sense that don't comprehend statistics and how averages are calculated) As long as you're under control with meds the most you can expect is the requirement for an EKG at your next medical.

 

[AuntPeggy]

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a few years ago and take meds daily. There are a few extra hoops to jump through for each medical, but no big deal.

Just be sure to check out the meds on the AOPA site and then don't fly single pilot for a couple of weeks after starting or changing dosage to see how you take to them.

 

[Everskyward]

Feeling like I had high blood pressure,

I was just curious about this since I had always heard that high blood pressure doesn't have any symptoms.

I can't speak for myself since I have low BP but I know quite a few pilots who take medication and have no problem getting a medical.

 

[Unregistered]

I felt as if I had the high blood pressure because I could feel the blood pumping in my ears and my chest. This scared me so I went to the doctor. In addition to watching salt, I was advised to excercise. I am fairly active in my job as I am in the IT field and work on sites in industrial areas, so lots of walking, climbing, wire pulling, etc.

I hope it's a non event and I just over indulged when I should not have. In either case it serves as a wake up call that I am not as young as I once was and need to pay attention to what I eat.

 

[Amelia]

Is there any way you can shed some weight? My MD husband's blood pressure got high enough to worry even him, so he up and lost the weight, and lo and behold, the BP went back to normal,no meds necessary for another decade. Funny part is his comment:" I've been telling patients all these years they could either lose 30 pounds or they'd have to take BP meds and put up with side effects. I always wondered if that was good advice, because not once in three decades did any patient actually lose the weight. Now I know!"

 

[poadeleted20]

I want to make sure that I will have all of my ducks in a row in order to get my third class medical renewed (I still have three years left on my current medical)

I don't know whether 180/80 is outside the Third Class limits or not, but if it is, you can't keep flying legally on your existing certificate with that BP. See 14 CFR 61.53(a):

(a) Operations that require a medical certificate. Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section, no person who holds a medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter may act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember, while that person:
(1) Knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would make the person unable to meet the requirements for the medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation;

If that's true, you'll have to either get your BP back down below the Third Class limit or get a SI to continue flying. You may need to get some good aviation medical advice from someone like Dr. Bruce on this issue.

 

[AuntPeggy]

From AOPA ... http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/certification/heart/hypertension.html

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.

The FAA currently allows most FDA-approved anti-hypertension agents, including diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, alpha-adrenergic blocking agents, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, calcium channel blocking agents, direct vasodilators, or combinations of these agents.

 

[bbchien]

Okay, here's the poop. You need medical control. If you DO medical control, you will avoid furthering untold silent damage that has been going on for a long time. 180/80 is too high for just a "singularity" in your readings.

If you do the diet/exercies, that's good, but you should self ground.
If you do the medical control, after 2 weeks when you are stable (and you are legal to fly again), have the doc write you (YOU) a note saying you are under good control and have no side effects. This note is what makes you legal.

Have him obtain a baseline EKG (yes, do it now, while it's still normal), a fasting lipid profile, a fasting glucose, and a serum creatinine. Why? You'll need them at your next medical. If what he gives you has the initials "/HCT" after it, you also need a serum potassium (at the 2 week mark).

I tell airmen to do the initial hypertension certification EARLY on in their lives when the EKG is still normal. The EKG, and the labs are onetime requirements. Every two years you need the letter from the doc.

It boils down to, if you want a good retirement with reasonable health, start working on it now.

Senior AME


Then at your next 8500-8 exam

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the advice doc...

An update to my issue. I had my blood pressure re-checked today at the hospital I was working at, came up at 140/85. I doubt seriously in the 5 days that I have been focusing on this issue has made any difference to this point, but it does make me feel a bit better. I have not flown in the past week, nor do I intend to in the next.

On the same day, however, I got the results of my blood tests, mostly good news except that my triglyceride level was at 240. Not overly concerning the doc as the test was not after fasting, but high enough that both my wife and I got the dreaded diet and excercise lecture. We will have a re-check done in May, giving me a chance to get my excercise and diet changes in place and stick to them. She then told me that if in May the levels werent at an acceptable level, that she would medicate in order to get this to the desired level. I am not sure what medications, or what medical implications this condition or medications would have (care to shed some light here doc?).

Bottom line is that this is a wake up call, and I have answered it. Maybe no medicl implications this time, but definately some life changes

Thanks for all of the input!