Follow
Share
Read More
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Just because he didn't take meds before doesn't mean he doesn't now - however it should be for something specific not writing a Rx as an easy way for the dr

84/50 is too low as he can become dizzy & fall so that is an issue that you should bring up - even a lower dose but his prior BP was good so keep up the questions until you get a clear answer - FYI my dad had 79/48 & said he was dizzy but that was without meds [low BP runs in family]

My dad was a dr so he taught me how to do a quick dehydration test - lightly pinch the skin on the back of his hand to make a mound then take your fingers away quickly .... if the mound stays up then he is dehydrated & if it goes down slowly he is starting to become dehydrated but if it springs back then no worry - you can also check kids this way - practise a few times on yourself so you have a good idea

Your dad must feel tired with that low BP so he needs you as his advocate otherwise he may just do a line of least resistance due to tiredness
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Does he have a cardiologist? Who diagnosed the afib? I am one who agrees with you that at 97 why is he being given statins and bp meds with his current numbers? But, i am not a medical dr even tho i worked in the medical field a long time. I would think he needs to see a cardiologist then go from there. Best of luck in getting some straight answers!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

My dad's cardiologist had luckily read the latest reports saying that people in their eighties and nineties should not have such low blood pressure. He has cut his BP medicine to half and his BP runs around 98/82 and sometimes 101/84. He was getting lightheaded upon standing and almost falling. Only thing he takes now is Coreg and it is a very low dose.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

When my sister's blood pressure went very low after taking high blood pressure medication, she was told by her visiting nurse to skip a dose.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Geriatric medicine currently advises no BP meds unless senior patient BP is over 150/90. I would not think someone of age 97 would ever be over such a level. Current 84/50 in so very low, near deadly, sorry to say. It's the meds. REMOVE them asap, imo.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report

My sister worked as an in-home health care provider for a woman in her 90's. After a hospital admission, she was put on a statin drug for cholesterol while still in the hospital.
After taking the drug, she became so disoriented that she thought she was back in Russia, where she hadn't lived since she'd been in her 20's. She began speaking only Russian.
My sister took her back to be seen by her primary care doctor, not the doctor who had started her on the statin. He said it was late stage dementia, due to her advanced age.
My sister protested and finally convinced the doctor to take her off the statin drug to see if the confusion improved. He finally agreed. The drug was stopped. Her mind cleared and she returned to normal mental clarity.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
disgustedtoo May 2019
One never knows what a drug might do - although many drugs do their intended work and have no "side-effects", there are those who may react.

When my daughter was 9m old, she was given an antibiotic for an ear infection. Not only did it not work, she got WORSE! Switching to another antibiotic solved the issue. Found out after the fact that my mother also cannot take that kind of antibiotic.

While in the hospital, they kept injecting me with Heparin, which has been around a LONG time (Heparin is one of the oldest medicines currently in use. It was first discovered in 1916...) Generally it will lower platelets and help prevent clotting. USUALLY the worst side-effect is to lower them too much, leading to bleeding. In my case, platelet count shot sky high and finally resulted in a hematoma, which stopped the Heparin.

So, when taking medication, do watch for ANY out of the ordinary, not just the usual side-effect warnings. It could be a bad reaction to the medication!
(0)
Report
See 1 more reply
No. My dad lost all his energy from lack of salt and blood pressure lowering meds. His cholesterol was low . Watch the video where dr Nadir Ali cardiologist just today explains LDL cholesterol to Dr Berg and all the patients he saw with heart disease that had low cholesterol . It’s absolutely eye opening . His 30 years has caused him to question the role of LDL and thinks it may be protective . Best explanation I’ve seen in a long time .
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
jacobsonbob May 2019
One question I've read is whether high cholesterol levels cause cardiovascular issues, or if the high cholesterol levels are merely another symptom of whatever else causes the cardiovascular issues. Maybe lowering the cholesterol levels doesn't actually solve the underlying issue. In any case, I don't know if this has been completely answered.
(0)
Report
This question came back around and I see a lot of talk about the cholesterol medication so while the whole Afib control still holds I wanted to mention an option for cholesterol control other than medication. I see someone mentioned fish oil which does other things as well. But the other natural cholesterol control option is Red Yeast Rice. Mt husband was told his cholesterol was high during a yearly check up and given a prescription for medication. Doctor told him to have blood work again in 6 mos (I think it was, maybe it was 3...) to see if the dosage was right. He never even filled the prescription, I had been put on Red Yeast Rice when Lyme treatment factors elevated my cholesterol (quite a bit) so we tried that first to see if it would work for him too. It did, he had the follow up blood work done and got another prescription in the mail for 1 years worth of the cholesterol medication and a not raving about how well it had been working. Hahaha I'm with everyone here suggesting other options if at all possible to control cholesterol.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
MAYDAY May 2019
Thank You. My doctor suggested red yeast rice too. I guess I will start taking it. . How much do you take daily? Fish oil too? or just the red yeast rice tablets?
(1)
Report
See 1 more reply
you need to monitor his blood pressure three times daily with a cuff you can buy at CVS or Walmart. Collect two weeks of data and submit it to his doctor. Snapshot blood pressure is not an effective measure for accuracy and titration of medication
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

97 does he want to take it? He had a stroke. Perhaps dr's think that's what needs to be done.. Sometimes side effects are worse than the original issue.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

This is a wake up call for me. Thank you. I am really going to have to start watching diet and take the red yeast rice...
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

97? Chloresterol meds affect the heart. BP meds for 140 / 70?
Get him a good geratric doctor!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

For heaven's sake why are those doctors subjecting him to those medications at his age? 140/70 is NOT dangerous for an 97 year old man. Hypotension is far more dangerous at his age. Even 124 for LDL cholesterol is not terrible for an 97 year old. Some doctors are out of control. I agree with getting him under the care of a geriatrician.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report

Cholesterol lowering meds have a whole host of undesirable side effects. At 97 years old he doesn't need that, and his cholesterol isn't that high anyway. I would agree that 140/70 doesn't warrant meds at his age either. If they are giving it to try to regulate his heart rate, that particular drug is taking his B/P way too low and they need to go to plan B.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter