Q12 : Hypertension and change of life style !

Query :
I have had hypertension for the last 15 years. i have been taking the recommended drugs for its treatment. however, i find that the use of the drug, alsartan am, disturbs my sleep. what is the antidote to it. I have also been an athlete. I jog or do treadmill for half an hour everyday, followed by some weight training and yoga. all of this does not seem to help reduce my weight which is static at 90kg for the last 15 years.

Of late I also find that when I visit high altitude area I get mild headache and a rise in BP - which was not the case,say, five years ago. At that time I could walk for 5-6 hours at 12,000-14,000 ft without any trouble. In the given situation do you recommend some vitamins and mineral supplements or change of life style - I smoke pipe five to six times a day and get drunk at least twice a week.
- Sharma, Chennai

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Answer :
Dear Mr.Sharma,
ALSARTAN causing all sort of troubles?

May be true in your case. You have to rule out other causes of sleeplessness before changing your medication. At 50 years you have already enjoyed your full quota of smoking for this birth.
You have already smoked your last cigarette.

Your lack of sleeping may be due to midlife blues. Which is common for many a people who attain this age. Your responsibilities as a father to satisfy your grown up children’s demands and needs. As a husband trying to cope with wife needs. As a male you may not rise to the occasion, making vex at sex . As a responsible person you may have to meet many a person with varied situations leading to tension day in and out. Apart from all these your age itself invites ill-health and unmask the distained diseases programmed by the nature.

Some of the above or all of the above or sum of all may cause you sleep disturbances certain pluses and minuses in your life calculations will salvage you from the hopeless situation. You need zestful days and restful nights.

Your feeling of discomfort in the chest may be caused by your chimnified ( carbon deposited ) lungs failing to expand due to loss of elasticity, heart getting ballooned out due to on set of hypertension or gaseous abdomen again caused by your inveterate smoking addiction and accompanying acidity and overwhelming anxiety.

• Quit smoking.
• Have a physical (examination with a doctor)
• Don’t be emotional.

yours truly,
Dr.Ravindranath