Cycling with high blood pressure

[Heat]

How bad it is to do a race with high blood pressure ? I did a test before a race in the past and the doctor say I should no do the race with high blood pressure, at that time was 150/100. Still did the race and at present is 140/90. What could happens ??

[hellymedic]

Impossible to tell as blood pressure varies all the time.

Really high blood pressure >160/90 won't do your heart and kidneys any good and blood pressure over 180 systolic massively increases stroke risk.

[Wowbagger]

My blood pressure is slightly high, but my doctor seems to be totally unconcerned when it's around the 140 mark. Not that I do audaxes.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Testing just before a race means nothing. Adrenaline from anticipation of the race could have pushed it up. You need it testing when unstressed.

[sojournermike]

When I wa son the table just before having a vitrectomy as part of abretinalnrepair, under local anaesthetic, the nurse noted by BPbwas 148/90. The consultant pointed out that I was in a somewhat stressful situation.

A couple of years ago after scary doctors measurements (130 to 135 / 90) I bought a monitor and now checkbfairly regularly at home in the mornings and it’s much less worrying. Importantly, it means that the Drs understand I have a bit of white coat syndrome.

Not sure about racing or otherwise, but I think a bit of self monitoring can be quite good for your own stress and can be useful when talking with the docs.

[hellymedic]

I'm fairly comfortable with my colleagues in the profession BUT the stress of getting out of the house in a timely fashion pushes up my BP HUGELY!

My BP was high at the surgery and initially high on my parents' machine.

It's lower at rest at home. It probably needs at least half an unstressed hour to settle properly.

[T42]

I'm usually 140/70 at the doc's and 120-130/80 at home. Exam effect.

When I do a stress test my BP usually tops out at 210/70. Cardiologist says that the limit under effort is systolic = 250, beyond that something's gonna blow, Cap'n. Extreme caution being a trait of the breed, another 10% is probably OK.

[Chris S]

My stress test was aborted when I hit 260/90.

I have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. One of its effects is to increase the concentration of angiotensin converting enzyme in muscles, which means I'm supremely hypertensive when I give it full beans, so I'm not supposed to go flat out for too long.

I also get Raynaud's really bad in winter - the doc reckoned it's the same mechanism.

Generally speaking, walking and moderate cycling keeps my BP in check. If I go a few days totally immobile (like last week when I was in bed with a cold), it creeps up over the 140/90 limit, but only just.

[Exit Stage Left]

I got diagnosed with a high BP after my 2016 detached retina. I've been on medication since then.

My 2012 detached retina put me off 'eyeballs out' efforts, although I've never been able to establish a link. My sister had a detached retina, and doesn't indulge in any high intensity exercise.

[hellymedic]

[OT] Several cycling companions have had detached retinas.

I would class none of them as more than 'leisure' riders.

I know severe myopia is associated with detached retina. I don't know of other associations.

[sojournermike]

I had a detached retina at the start of this year - a tear precipitated by a posterior vitreal detachment. View is that myopia (c.-9 pre detachment) and aging are the key risk factors. My BP is typically a little under 120/80 in the morning.

[rogerzilla]

Mine's about 126/60 on a rest day, which isn't ideal but is to be expected for a middle-aged person with less flexible arteries.  After a ride it's much lower: 112/49 just now.  Grey-outs when standing up.

[hellymedic]

That's a fairly wide pulse pressure (systolic minus diastolic). This might be fine or indicate aortic valve mischief.

Repeat measurements and medical attention if you're getting frequent grey-outs might be wise.