acceptable blood pressure limits

[Rob]

Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

Thanks

[Surfer!]

Post by Rob
Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

From the CAA web site:

"If there is nothing in your medical history which would stop you
reaching the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2
standard for professional driving, you can obtain an unrestricted
National PPL which will allow you to carry up to three passengers within
the privileges of the licence. "

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=49&pagetype=90&pageid=873

And it refers to the DVLA web site for more information. From there:

HYPERTENSION

Group 1 - Driving may continue unless treatment causes unacceptable side
effects. DVLA need not be notified

Group 2: Disqualifies from driving if resting BP consistently 180 mm
Hg systolic or more and/or 100 mm Hg diastolic or more. Re/licensing
may be permitted when controlled provided that treatment does not cause
side effects which may interfere with driving.

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/at_a_glance/ch2_cardiovascular.htm#hyper


To be honest, if your BP is that high then you've got something to worry
about...

[Rob]

Post by Surfer!

Post by Rob
Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

"If there is nothing in your medical history which would stop you
reaching the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2
standard for professional driving, you can obtain an unrestricted
National PPL which will allow you to carry up to three passengers within
the privileges of the licence. "

I was enquiring re the class 2 (JAR) medical not the group 2 (DVLA) medical
but many thanks anyway Surfer.
Still looking for what the acceptable blood pressure limits are for a class
2
medical for the PPL (JAR)

Thanks

[Surfer!]

Post by Rob

Post by Surfer!

Post by Rob
Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

"If there is nothing in your medical history which would stop you
reaching the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2
standard for professional driving, you can obtain an unrestricted
National PPL which will allow you to carry up to three passengers within
the privileges of the licence. "

I was enquiring re the class 2 (JAR) medical not the group 2 (DVLA) medical
but many thanks anyway Surfer.
Still looking for what the acceptable blood pressure limits are for a class
2
medical for the PPL (JAR)

Yes, I can't find anything either. You could ring your medical examiner
and ask.

[Geo]

Post by Rob
Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

Dunno if there is an exact figure - but by AME generally starts mumbling about
CAA rejecting at 150/95.
Any advance on that?

Geo

[Gus Cabre]

Hi all,

I'm an RAF AME and remember reading somewhere that anything up to 160/100
was acceptable. I know that up to that level, the CAA will accept it (I have
had patients with that level), notwithstanding the need to visit your doctor
if it is above 140/90 mmHg.

I shall dig out my CAA booklets and confirm.

Gus
RAF Coltishall

Post by Geo

Post by Rob
Does anyone here know what the acceptable blood pressure
limits are for a class 2 medical fort the PPL?

Dunno if there is an exact figure - but by AME generally starts mumbling about
CAA rejecting at 150/95.
Any advance on that?
Geo

[Cynthia Reid]

The CAA site (medical section) specifically says consistently over 160/95
needs assessment and treatment.
Cynthia G-TRIO

[Cynthia Reid]

The relevant data is at
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=49&pagetype=90&pageid=3408
Cynthia

Post by Cynthia Reid
The CAA site (medical section) specifically says consistently over 160/95
needs assessment and treatment.
Cynthia G-TRIO

[Geo]

Post by Cynthia Reid
The CAA site (medical section) specifically says consistently over 160/95
needs assessment and treatment.

Thanks - have you any idea if both need to be above/below e.g what about
150/96
161/85
?

Geo

[Cynthia Reid]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Surfer!]

Post by Cynthia Reid

Post by Geo

Post by Cynthia Reid
The CAA site (medical section) specifically says consistently over 160/95
needs assessment and treatment.

Thanks - have you any idea if both need to be above/below e.g what about
150/96
161/85

I'm not a medic but I have a Class 2 and hypertension for many years so had
to look at this carefully myself. My understanding is that if under normal
day to day conditions your systolic is frequently over 160 *OR* (not 'and')
your diastolic is frequently over 95 you should regard yourself as grounded.
Good medical practice dictates that with figures regularly over 140 or 90
(especially the latter) you should consult your GP even if your AME is
prepared to accept them. It's not the bp itself that is dangerous but it
puts you into a higher risk category for stroke/heart attack both of which
are pretty sudden events and you wouldn't want to be in control of an
aeroplane at the time!!!!
Good luck
Cynthia (still happily flying at 71 with hypertension controlled by
medication)

But, if you are not already on medication be very sure you get checked
for white-coat before going on medication. My BP is high at the doctors
and I ended up going through the mill of 12-lead ECG, blood cholesterol
and fasting glucose. However at the same time as the blood was drawn I
was given a BP monitor to take home and measure myself 12 times a day.
It settled as I got used to measuring myself, and ended up almost the
same as it was 30 years ago. Had I been given BP medication, I could
have ended up with low BP - presumably not a good thing, especially in a
G situation.

[Peter]

Post by Surfer!
It settled as I got used to measuring myself, and ended up almost the
same as it was 30 years ago. Had I been given BP medication, I could
have ended up with low BP - presumably not a good thing, especially in a
G situation.

A lot of peoples' BP goes way up when they are being measured for
their PPL medical - a highly stressful time with the potential to end
your flying (in which you have invested an absolutely massive amount
of effort and money) for ever.

I have my FAA Class 2 tomorrow... not sure whether to drive or fly to
the AME :)

[Rob]

Post by Surfer!
But, if you are not already on medication be very sure you get checked
for white-coat before going on medication. My BP is high at the doctors
and I ended up going through the mill of 12-lead ECG, blood cholesterol
and fasting glucose. However at the same time as the blood was drawn I
was given a BP monitor to take home and measure myself 12 times a day.

Of the 12 readings per day, do you remember if there was a certain time of
day which gave consistently the lowest reading?

Thanks for all of the interesting replies.

Found the following on the net::
Tips for Having Your Blood Pressure Taken

Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood
pressure measured.

Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet
flat on the ground.
Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.

Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.

Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your
blood pressure reading.

Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.

[Peter]

Post by Rob
Tips for Having Your Blood Pressure Taken
Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood
pressure measured.
Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet
flat on the ground.
Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.
Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.
Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your
blood pressure reading.
Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.

I recently read some tips some CAA AME gave to commercial (JAA ATP)
candidates. They included not "playing with oneself" (not the word he
used) in the few days before the medical, as this apparently causes
blood to appear in the urine sample :) :) :)

[Mike Lindsay]

Post by Peter

Post by Rob
Tips for Having Your Blood Pressure Taken
Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood
pressure measured.
Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet
flat on the ground.
Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.
Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.
Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your
blood pressure reading.
Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.

I recently read some tips some CAA AME gave to commercial (JAA ATP)
candidates. They included not "playing with oneself" (not the word he
used) in the few days before the medical, as this apparently causes
blood to appear in the urine sample :) :) :)

Did he say you could, er, play with other people?

[Mike Lindsay]

Post by Rob

Post by Surfer!
But, if you are not already on medication be very sure you get checked
for white-coat before going on medication. My BP is high at the doctors
and I ended up going through the mill of 12-lead ECG, blood cholesterol
and fasting glucose. However at the same time as the blood was drawn I
was given a BP monitor to take home and measure myself 12 times a day.

Of the 12 readings per day, do you remember if there was a certain time of
day which gave consistently the lowest reading?
Thanks for all of the interesting replies.
Tips for Having Your Blood Pressure Taken
Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood
pressure measured.
Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet
flat on the ground.
Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.
Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.
Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your
blood pressure reading.
Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.

Here are some more tips:

(a) For three or four days before try and spend about a quarter of an
hour sitting in a comfortable chair with you eyes closed. And try and
think of nothing. Whenever a thought crosses your mind dismiss it. Its
difficult to do but not impossible.

(b) Listen to some Mozart.

[Surfer!]

Post by Rob

Post by Surfer!
But, if you are not already on medication be very sure you get checked
for white-coat before going on medication. My BP is high at the doctors
and I ended up going through the mill of 12-lead ECG, blood cholesterol
and fasting glucose. However at the same time as the blood was drawn I
was given a BP monitor to take home and measure myself 12 times a day.

Of the 12 readings per day, do you remember if there was a certain time of
day which gave consistently the lowest reading?

Typo on my part - it was 4 per day, and the lowest ones seem to be in
the evening.

However getting my doctor to sign my gliding medical (which says I am
fit to drive!) is putting it up...

<Snip>

[pietro]

Post by Cynthia Reid
Cynthia (still happily flying at 71 with hypertension controlled by
medication)

Well done Cynthia!!!

I hope you are able to enjoy many more hours up there.

For those of you who may be troubled with high Cholesterol,
here's an old Swiss remedy which really does work.

For breakfast 3 tablespoons of oats (not porridge) you can mix
them with a chopped up apple, a couple of raisins and some milk.
Tastes nice and works a treat.

P.

[Alt Beer]

Post by pietro

Post by Cynthia Reid
Cynthia (still happily flying at 71 with hypertension controlled by
medication)

Well done Cynthia!!!
I hope you are able to enjoy many more hours up there.
For those of you who may be troubled with high Cholesterol,
here's an old Swiss remedy which really does work.
For breakfast 3 tablespoons of oats (not porridge) you can mix
them with a chopped up apple, a couple of raisins and some milk.
Tastes nice and works a treat.
P.

Pietro, if not porridge what kind of oats?

Thanks

[pietro]

Post by Alt Beer
Pietro, if not porridge what kind of oats?

I did mean ordinary oats, but don't cook them up like you do when
making porridge.

Of course, this doesn't mean that you can carry on hammering the
old bacon, eggs, sausage and chips. Then again if your on
medication you'd have to renounce on fatty food also.

Main advantage with this old wives' recipe is the absence of the
side effects that you get with medicaments.

The Pharma-Industry is, naturally, of quite a different opinion.

P.

[Alt Beer]

Post by pietro

Post by Alt Beer
Pietro, if not porridge what kind of oats?

I did mean ordinary oats, but don't cook them up like you do when
making porridge.

Thanks

[Peter]

Post by pietro
I did mean ordinary oats, but don't cook them up like you do when
making porridge.

"Oats" of course has another meaning in the English language :)

What effect the alternative form of "oats" has on blood pressure I
don't know. It certainly causes a temporary rise but the long term
effect is definitely beneficial...

[Mike Lindsay]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Peter]

One can also get a strong case of "white coat syndrome". Once, when
having my medical, I saw my BP start at 144/99 only to fall to 126/86
10-20 minutes later.

[Alt Beer]

Has anyone here tried an Ambulatory Blood Pressure monitor? This is the
type which you wear for 24 hours and it automatically takes a reading every
half hour throughout the 24 hour period. The results are then downloaded to
a pc for analysis.

Some say that the reading may not be so accurate due to possibly lying on
the cuff or kinked tube during a measurement while asleep.
Not sure if this is true. Anyone tried it?

[Alt Beer]

Has anyone here tried an Ambulatory Blood Pressure monitor? This is the
type which you wear for 24 hours and it automatically takes a reading say
every half hour throughout the 24 hour period. The results are then
downloaded to a pc for analysis.

Some say that the reading may not be so accurate due to possibly lying on
the cuff or kinked tube during a measurement while asleep.
Not sure if this is true. Anyone ever worn one.?

[PeterD]

Post by Alt Beer
Has anyone here tried an Ambulatory Blood Pressure monitor? This is the
type which you wear for 24 hours and it automatically takes a reading say
every half hour throughout the 24 hour period. The results are then
downloaded to a pc for analysis.

I've had one. It was set to take a reading every hour, and most times
I'd forgotten until it suddenly started squeezing. Gives you a hell of a
fright in the middle of the night.

[Dave Eadsforth]

Post by Peter
One can also get a strong case of "white coat syndrome". Once, when
having my medical, I saw my BP start at 144/99 only to fall to 126/86
10-20 minutes later.

As well as WCS there is the practice of the subject being given a BP
test immediately after walking into the surgery, which will always score
higher than after a few minutes sitting quietly. I raised this with a
nurse once, who looked thoughtful for a moment and then just shrugged.

Cheers,

Dave

[Peter]

Post by Dave Eadsforth

Post by Peter
One can also get a strong case of "white coat syndrome". Once, when
having my medical, I saw my BP start at 144/99 only to fall to 126/86
10-20 minutes later.

As well as WCS there is the practice of the subject being given a BP
test immediately after walking into the surgery, which will always score
higher than after a few minutes sitting quietly. I raised this with a
nurse once, who looked thoughtful for a moment and then just shrugged.

Well, a day after scoring 126/86 at the surgery I bought what is
clearly exactly the same type of meter from Boots (£99.99) and I now
score 120/80, and that is while running around getting the kids to eat
their vegetables :) i.e. without any resting etc.

That's quite a difference since AIUI the maximum limit for the FAA
Class 2 is something over 90...

This is a rather more haphazard business than most punters realise.

[pietro]

Post by Peter
"Oats" of course has another meaning in the English language :)

You've obviously got a dirt-track mind :-)

P.

[Surfer!]

In message <44b61358$***@news.bluewin.ch>, pietro <***@tiscali.net>
writes

Post by pietro

Post by Alt Beer
Pietro, if not porridge what kind of oats?

I did mean ordinary oats, but don't cook them up like you do when
making porridge.

So far as I know the beneficial part of oats (soluble fibre) is still
beneficial after making porridge. However if you load it with sugar &
butter then you are probably undoing the good...

<snip>