Can I be fit with high blood pressure?

I was gobsmacked today when I tried out a collegues digital blood pressure monitor. Mine was 151/74
at 61bpm! We tried again a couple of minutes later and it was 139/81 which is only just below the
threshold for 'hypertension'. Now I'm suprised becuase I thought I was pretty fit. I race & ride at
least 100 miles a week & go running giving me around 7 - 12 hours exercise a week. Being veggie I
eat very little fat and in no way can I be classed overweight. We tried another collegue who is also
pretty fit (I go running with him) and his was 118/70something.

My resting heart rate is 45 which I believe is excellent, so what can this BP mean?

cheers Russell

 

Russell <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was gobsmacked today when I tried out a collegues digital blood pressure monitor. Mine was
> 151/74 at 61bpm! We tried again a couple of minutes
later
> and it was 139/81 which is only just below the threshold for
'hypertension'.
> Now I'm suprised becuase I thought I was pretty fit. > My resting heart rate is 45 which I believe
> is excellent, so what can this BP mean?
>
> cheers Russell

You can certainly be fit with high blood pressure, even with medication mines higher than yours. But
being fit doesn't equate with being healthy; go see your GP. (The medication I take doesn't affect
the cycling so don't let this put you off). Mike

 

Russell <[email protected]rock.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was gobsmacked today when I tried out a collegues digital blood pressure monitor. Mine was
> 151/74 at 61bpm! We tried again a couple of minutes
later
> and it was 139/81 which is only just below the threshold for
'hypertension'.
> Now I'm suprised becuase I thought I was pretty fit. I race & ride at
least
> 100 miles a week & go running giving me around 7 - 12 hours exercise a week. Being veggie I eat
> very little fat and in no way can I be classed overweight. We tried another collegue who is also
> pretty fit (I go
running
> with him) and his was 118/70something.
>
> My resting heart rate is 45 which I believe is excellent, so what can this BP mean?
>
> cheers Russell
>
>

I contacted our Occupational Health Dept at work today and saw a very nice nurse. She measured my
with a stethoscope?? and pressure gauge, twice. The readings were 130/60 then 120/60 which she said
was excellent. I had just eaten a big lunch yesterday - infact I was eating all day! So maybe that
accounts for the high reading. Anyway thanks for all the useful advice - oh and I'm 41 by the way.

Russell