Is high blood pressure linked to stress?

[AngelHeart]

My hubby and i have just started the gym, thinking it would be the best thing for our anxieties but on the day of induction the instructor told my DH that he had high blood pressure and therefore they wont allow him to work out in the gym. We both suffer anxiety but hes been really good with his for years but I do know they eveytime he has to get his blood presure checked, or see dr , or they take blood e.t.c he gets really anxious over it so I think this is what puts his blood preasure up. Am a bit miffed at the instructor to who said that if the lower level of his BP whent to 110 (his was 103) he could have a stroke ! So now my poor DH has been having panic attacks again and worrying. He's been to see our own Dr who reasurred him that they have to do BP over 3 months for him to be diagnosed with high BP and that exercise is the best thing to lower it ! Just wondering if anyone else has the same problems with BP and stress?


Thank you very much x

[Belleblue]

Hi Pauline,

I strongly doubt that this instructor is medically qualified to assess your husband's health and I find it quite alarming that he would "diagnose" him in this way. Exercise is excellent for helping to lower high BP... so he is completely wrong there too!!

Your husband's GP is quite right in saying that he really needs to be monitored over a three month period. There is a well known phenomenon called White Coat Syndrome where the patient's blood pressure can be perfectly normal in ordinary circumstances but is raised due to anxiety in a clinical setting. This happens to me - the first reading my GP does is always high, then she gets me to sit back on the chair and get comfortable and takes it again a couple of minutes later and it's normal.

High blood pressure is linked more to bad diet and lack of exercise and there can also be a family connection. I don't think they have enough evidence as yet to prove that stress causes it - but I should imagine that it can play a part.

Take care now.
Belle xx