That's Racin'

A local NASCAR reference meaning boys will be boys, but that has nothing to do with me.

In the normal world, a human heart should have a textbook rate of 70 beats per minute. Mine has always run a bit rich at 80 beats per minute.

Likewise, a text book blood pressure is 120/80.

For years I, like my soon to be 90 year old independent living mother, have had hypertension issues that require drugs to control blood pressure to a near normal level.

About every 4 ½ years, the body decides to upset the apple cart and my blood pressure goes on the rise until a new cocktail of drugs is found. I mean I've been rocking 180/110 for quite a few weeks now.

Thursday, well Thursday my heart rate decided to join in and I was banging out a constant beat of 118 per minute.

It was all quite disturbing. I was at my desk and I felt like an out of control motor with a stuck accelerator. I hooked up a bp heart rate monitor from my desk and even I was shocked.

I called the doctor, got worked in within the hour, and was put on some well needed beta blockers. Within hours I had readings in normal range.

Readings continue to be normal, and no side effects of sluggishness like in the past. I guess my body was finally ready for this class of drug.

I now take beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics for blood pressure.

While I read later that my episode was not really dangerous, and not really indicative of any disease beyond hypertension, it was a startling admission that this 58 year old is getting older.

I guess I'll quit bitching about $2000 a month plus health care insurance costs.


Ken said...

Your scaring me ...tic,tic,tic,tic,tic, 118?

Chill man! Be like a brine shrimp.

Phfrankie Bondo said...

Ken likes to use seafaring analogies.