NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote: 

You know I am not in the medical field, and I only express my opinions... from the blood pressure measurement you posted for her, it looks like she may have "isolated systolic hypertension"...  in measured blood pressure, the first number is for systolic pressure, which is measured after the heart contracts, and the second number is for diastolic pressure, which is measured before the heart contracts... people with isolated systolic hypertension commonly have high systolic pressure, and normal or low diastolic pressure...

yes, as Dave says, the decrease in elasticity in our vessels and arteries as we get older could be the cause— just imagine the same amount of liquid flowing through a pipe that is flexible at first, but becomes rigid— the systolic pressure goes up... decreased elasticity does not affect diastolic pressure... but it can also be caused by things like a leaky heart valve, or an overactive thyroid, so I am sure they will be thorough in checking this all out while she is in the hospital... if she does have isolated systolic hypertension, it can increase the risk of a stroke or a heart attack, so she does need some effective treatments for it... and she needs to get her blood pressure checked regularly... a few times a day would be good...

medications like diuretics can be used to lower blood pressure... if they have her on a diaretic like thiazide it can "cause dizziness and lightheadedness especially during the first few days as your body adjusts to it. Rise slowly from a seated or lying position to minimize the dizziness or lightheadedness."

As far as alternative treatments are concerned, you can see some good data at this wikipedia post— Systolic hypertension...

of course, I am just guessing...  good luck with this, and I wish her the best...

 

 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote: 
  hope things work out with this B

 DaveInVA wrote: 
Thanks Dave, half an hour of googling has convinced me that this is really something we have to leave to the experts. I hope that doesn't sound like resignation, but it is very complicated.

K. had cervical cancer many years ago and (thank goodness) was treated successfully. However about 15 years ago she was diagnosed with epilepsy and has been on pretty heavy medication ever since. After that she was diagnosed with polyneuropathy and has slowly but surely lost control of her feet..

All in all, it's pretty amazing that she has soldiered on so bravely. She turns 80 this year. In my naivity I suspect the medication may be to blame.. but hell, what do I know.

 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote: 
The most common cause of that is "hardening of the arteries". That's when the arteries lose elasticity and can't expand with an increse of blood flow. Heart and lung problems can also cause it.

I hope Romeo or some other peep can help me here.

My mother in law has been hospitalized after falling unconscious because of blood pressure problems (for which she has taken medication).

At first we thought the fainting fit was due to the medication, but now in the hospital they have taken her off the medication to determine some kind of baseline.

The baseline, they now find is blood pressure of 208 over 74. Apart from sounding like something out of the Guiness book of records, this certainly sounds like its on the other side of healthy. Can anyone fill me in of what this means, or even possibly could be caused by?

wait, I guess that is asking too much.  Maybe if someone could point me in the direction of where I could find more information on this. I would be really grateful.

Thanks, B.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
Power to the people, Comrade.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 

 rosedraws wrote: 
On the LRC right now:

 MrsHobieJoe wrote: 
Yeah, it's a tough one.  I've got a ten-year-old who got "the talk" from her mom.  It's my exceptionally precocious younger daughter (7) who's going to need it next.  And she likes things explained in explicit detail.  If she has questions about anything, she will ask until she understands very, very well.

 ptooey wrote: 

Junior last asked seriously a couple of years ago (she's six and a half now).  I went with "the mummy and daddy do lots of kissing and cuddling"- so she knew there was no danger of any more kids here.  I have thought that we really need to be straightforward about these things....next time.

 MrsHobieJoe wrote: 
I'm rehearsing.

 ptooey wrote: 

  Have you had that conversation recently?

 jagdriver wrote: 
Your girlfriend never missed a period?

 jagdriver wrote:  See, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much...

 hippiechick wrote: 
?

 Yibbyl wrote: 
I actually meant the space not the period! Yes, missed periods can cause quite a stir!

Can someone please open the RP BAR please!

I'm thirsty now.

EDIT: Wow, and this is only Monday. I'm going to the fridge to get my own cold one.

 hippiechick wrote: 
It seems to me that the absence of a  .  has caused far more upheaval, than an extra one!

 jagdriver wrote: 
I would argue this is technically correct - an apostrophe stands in for something that is missing, like the 'e' here - but it is inelegant and I suspect it's a coincidence that it could work.

 GeneP59 wrote: 
Yeah, or an extra    .