High Blood Pressure

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.

Thanks!

I had the same thing happen when I was 37 (I'm now 45). I started out
on Vasotec also as best I recall. I think this is in the class called
ACE inhibitors, right? I've taken a couple of different one's since
then, mainly due to requests by my insurance company, and am now taking
Atacand. I think most all of the ACE inhibitors are FAA approved and
I've never had a side-effect attributed to the BP meds. I've always
taken the smallest dose available and it has kept my BP under good control.


Matt