For the record, I’m not saying that behavioural changes or pharmacology aren’t influential—perhaps more influential than genetics. I’m saying that genetic influence on pulse rate should be considered when developing a strategy for pulse-rate reduction. Because you have been successful in reducing your heart rate by doing whatever you did, it does not mean I can expect the same results following the same plan. We see this in most biomarkers we try to influence, glucose, fat, apob, etc.
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John - what do you think the key factors are that helped you accomplish this HR reduction?
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Its hard to identify one or two changes.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a potential new treatment for individuals with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension, a condition commonly referred to as high blood pressure. The investigational drug, lorundrostat, showed encouraging results in a recent clinical trial.
Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study found that participants who received lorundrostat experienced an average 15-point reduction in systolic blood pressure, the upper number in a blood pressure reading, compared to a 7-point reduction in those given a placebo.
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-have-found-a-drug-that-slashes-blood-pressure-in-weeks/
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I’ve been taking telmisartan for about 5 months, bumping up to 80mg not long after I started taking it. No side effects so far as I can tell. If anything there’s been a very subtle mood boost.
Want to experiment with higher doses, but would monitor serum K+ more closely if I end up doing so. It’s only one anecdote but Reddit user OutrageousBit2164 says “I take 80mg daily but when I ramp up to 160mg there is clearly antidepressant effect, more vivid colors, anti anhedonic effect, music sounds better”
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I love my Qardio as well.
@Dreamdoc Google says they went bankrupt ? Fortunately it sounds as if yours is still working well!!
I wonder if it’s similar to the Withings cordless style of bp monitor?
wow, that’s a shame! I hadn’t known that. I really like my scale and bp monitor.
Looking at the Withings, it does look similar.
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Since nebivolol is a β1-selective beta-blocker with vasodilatory properties, wouldn’t its impact on exercise capacity be significantly less than that of non-selective or older beta-blockers like atenolol or propranolol
Yes, there is no negative impact on cardio with Nebivolol on 5-10mg. There are NO boosting effects from it, unlike other beta blockers.
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Probably the impact on exercise is less than with other beta blockers, but there’s still an impact. I’m taking 2 - 2.5 mg and still feel an impact. Trying to lower the dose to 1.5 mg to see if there’s a difference.
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My bp averages around 125/80 and my doctor refuses to increase my telmisartan dosage above 20 mg. He says I might get dizzy and faint. How can I convince him even lower would be better?
You could ask him to prescribe another low dose medication from a different class of BP meds, like a CCB, or diuretic. Combining several low dose meds to control BP is standard and even recommended.
That said, you do not want to overdo it. Orthostatic Hypotension is strongly associated with dementia and falls especially in older people. Go very gradually, and monitor strictly. See DeStrider’s recent fainting episode with 40mg of telmisartan - he went back to 20mg. YMMV.
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That makes sense. Thanks. fwiw I’m 41 so I’m not too worried about falls
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That was a great video.
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My bp was averaging 122/80 on 80mg of Telmisartan.
When I started on just half a tablet of Dutasteride I quickly noticed every time I got up from a squatting position I had orthostatic hypotension. Measured my bp and 10 points had dropped off.
Have gone back to 40mg on the Telmisartan to get it back up to around 120/80 again.
If height has anything to do with it I’m 6ft 2” Maybe shorter people can get away with a lower bp. I need the 120 level.
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I’m much shorter, 5’3”, and also have orthostatic BP and also prefer 120 to function. I usually measure my BP in standing and then in sitting position. The difference in systolic is sometimes 15-20 points. Most of the day I’m either standing or moving, therefore I rely more on t standing readings, which I prefer to be 120.
I was not sure what his wrap-up was, so I asked for a synthesis of his message. Yet, at the beginning, he cited a whack-a-mole, but then at the end, he leaves it in suspension? Has anyone grasped his take-home message?
Does the AI construe the takehome the same you guys construed?
__________________________________________________________________________________AI Gemini flash 2.5
In the video, Dr. Brad Stanfield shares his personal journey in managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol, highlighting how his experience reflects important principles in disease prevention and longevity.
Summary of Content:
Dr. Stanfield recounts discovering he had high blood pressure (140) back in 2011, during his second year of medical school, a value not optimal for his age. Despite an initial false sense of security due to a lower reading in a medical setting, consistent home monitoring revealed persistent values between 140 and 150. He ruled out secondary causes and, despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle, concluded that genetics played a significant role.
For blood pressure management, he opted for a combined pharmacological approach:
- He started with candesartan (an angiotensin receptor blocker), gradually increasing the dose.
- He added empagliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor), despite not being diabetic, for its benefits on blood pressure and potential effects on male longevity (according to mouse studies), a choice that required specialist approval.
For cholesterol:
- He noted a slight increase in LDL cholesterol due to empagliflozin.
- He started with rosuvastatin (a statin) to reach a very low LDL cholesterol level (below 1.4 mmol/L or 50-60 mg/dL), a level associated with the absence of plaque.
- He added ezetimibe to enhance the cholesterol-lowering effect.
- Subsequently, he replaced rosuvastatin with pravastatin (a less potent statin but with a lower risk of inducing type 2 diabetes), once he reached his LDL target.
The Key Takeaway (Take-Home Lesson):
Dr. Stanfield’s main lesson is that, while a healthy lifestyle (diet and exercise) is absolutely fundamental for health and longevity, in many cases genetics plays a predominant role. Therefore, it may be necessary and wise to resort to pharmacological interventions to achieve and maintain target blood pressure and cholesterol values, even in otherwise healthy individuals with an exemplary lifestyle.
He also emphasizes the importance of regularly monitoring one’s values at home and the strategy of using combinations of low-dose medications to maximize effectiveness and minimize side effects.
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