Making lifestyle changes
Written by: Dr. Rowena | Posted: May 13 2009
Q: For the past 2 months, with a lot of stress in my life, I have white coat syndrome and my BP at the doctor’s office was 160/90 on two occasions. At the pharmacy, it’s usually 147/88 or even 140/89. I am 5′7 and weigh 220 lbs, have sleep apnea and asthma. The doctor gave me toprol (smallest dose, 25mg) because he says it also helps with stress. I’ve read that this drug causes side effects. Should I try a lifestyle change before I take meds?
A: Lifestyle changes should be made whether or not you decide to treat your high blood pressure with medication. I certainly encourage you to make major changes immediately. Losing weight will help both your high blood pressure and your sleep apnea. From my experience, your doctor has likely recommended drug treatment first based on your current weight (BMI 34.4, click here for calculation), stress level, and eating habits.
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