Jay Honeck wrote:
Well, I'm officially old. After watching my blood pressure slowly climb
over the last three years (strangely, the years we've owned the hotel --
coincidence? :-), my doctor has decided that my ineffective weight loss
efforts aren't going to do the trick.

Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'. Exercise: 30
minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood pressure.

The good doctor says the elevated BP isn't being caused by my weight, which
isn't too far out of line for a 46 year old guy. (Although losing 15 pounds
would certainly help.) He has prescribed Vasotec for me, which *is* on the
AOPA's list of FAA approved medications, thankfully.

For those who have already been down this road, did this medication cause
any side effects? The doc says the most common one is a nagging cough, for
no known reason.

I'm there, too, Jay, but not quite as high as yours. My dr prescribed the DASH
eating plan: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/ I'm trying
to follow it, but it's not easy. Cutting the sodium down to the levels they
recommend has so far eluded me. Everything has sodium. You've got to read the
labels.

I'm sure reducing my sodium intake is helping even if I never get to the
recommended levels. I've lost a few lbs., and I think the BP has come down a
little, it's really hard to pick out trends because there's so much noise in the
signal. Anyway, the DASH thing seems pretty sensible, it wouldn't hurt to take a
look at it.

Good luck.

DGB