DVLA..HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE=NO LICENCE

shine

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Just heard on local BBC Radio Solent that if you suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension) you will lose your licence,

I am worried now because last week i had to go and have a BP test, my doctor said it was very high and gave me medication to try and bring my BP down.

Question

How high does your BP have to be before you lose your DL.

Will your doctor have to inform the DVLA when you have this condition

I have to say i have never heard of this before, is it a new thing ? :shock:
 

Neil H

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Surely this would be uncontrollable high blood pressure, IE beyond the capability of drugs to manage. An analogy should be eye sight, lots of people would be unfit to drive due to poor eyesight but glasses, or drugs in the case of BP, mitigate the issue.
 

brandwooddixon

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I would check with the DVLA website.
There was a similar scare over diabetics. It turned out that if you could prove that the condition was being treated and under control then there was no problem. For a diabetic this means testing your blood sugar levels within 2 hours of driving and every two hours when driving.
I suspect that high blood pressure will actually be treated in a similar way, in that if you can show that it is being controlled by drugs then there is no problem.
 

grober

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HYPERTENSION
Group1 =car drivers
Driving may continue unless
treatment causes unacceptable side
effects.
DVLA need not be notified


Group2= HGV PSV etc
Disqualifies from driving if resting
BP consistently 180 mm Hg systolic
or more and/or 100 mm Hg
diastolic or more.


Possibly GP's are now using Group 2 criteria for assessing Group 1 drivers??
 
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tony jr

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I have just looked at the NHS statistics showing the incidence of hypertension in england and it is around 32 percent - that is 1 in 3 of all drivers. This cannot be right!
 
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shine

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The doctor gave me a blood pressure monitor to use for a week.

Day two results

After very stressful day, just home.
181 systolic... 104 diastolic... pulse...58

Next day at wake up very relaxed
124 systolic... 88 diastolic... pulse...55

1st reading does not look good for me,
 
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whitenemesis

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It all depends on whether it's controllable using drugs that will not affect your driving.
 

grober

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I have just looked at the NHS statistics showing the incidence of hypertension in england and it is around 32 percent - that is 1 in 3 of all drivers. This cannot be right!
By definition Hypertension covers a wide range of "elevated " blood pressure. Most older people suffer from it to an extent in that their blood pressure is higher than the "normally accepted " range. That said many people are asymptomatic and only find out when other related health problems arise from the condition. [ cardiovascular/cerebral/renal] For that reason Doctor are keen to reduce blood pressure to manageable levels . This normally involves the use of various drugs to reduce blood pressure--- the higher the pressure = the higher the dosage /the stronger the drug required to reduce it. Unfortunately consciousness is related to the blood supply to the brain which means these strong drugs may cause episodes of "hypotension" =low blood pressure where people could momentarily loose consciousness or become extremely dizzy suffer blurred vision etc, all of which might cause an accident.
 

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shine

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Thanks grober, very interesting blood pressure chart.
 

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Shine - ask your doc if they can supply a monitor which you wear for a day. It takes a reading every 15 minutes for about 8 hours and records the results.

It will give a far better understanding of what is going on than just taking one reading at different times as has you have found readings can vary wildly. Even doing daily readings you should take it three times over about 15 minutes and record the lowest reading.
 
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shine

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That is a better idea davejp when i return the portable monitor i will ask for one as you suggest far more accurate. Thanks
 
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exjag

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It's very alarmist ....

I've suffered from hypertension for years during a very stressful occupation. It was identified in 1995 and has been very successfully treated with a low dosage medication ever since. Adverse reaction to medication is quite rare I believe. I have my own blood pressure monitor - the same model my doctor uses - because readings in surgery are more often than not influenced by 'white coat' syndrome - you know what you are there for and it increases tension in many if not most people, so I take my readings at home. The doc is cognisant of the effects of 'white coat syndrome' and is happy to accept my home readings. He told me that for consistency readings should be taken first thing after getting up in the morning and thus the readings are not influenced by activity. During the day blood pressure will raise and lower according to what is happening; a dickhead driver or a busty blond will raise pressure, as does eating I believe, whereas when relaxing after work it will lower. Your doc should keep an eye on it. I go for 6 monthly checks and 12 monthly blood tests because hypertension can adversely affect kidney function if not treated.

If you apply for life insurance or travel insurance hypertension has to be declared, but the lower levels are accepted, though there are questions about whether treatment has been changed recently etc.

My doctor has never raised the question of my not driving.

Car and motorcycle licence holders don't need to tell DVLA, as stated above.

But my advice is don't ignore the condition, it won't go away and could have long term downsides. You may die early :lol:
 

Peter Hill

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BP and driving...

To some extent, you should change your doctor if he won't let you drive!

I had a minor stroke one evening, the other people in the room noticed, and I ended up in hospital. When I got out again a couple of days later the first thing I did was check that I could still drive competently.

(The bits in my head had wiped several things, most peculiar sitting down to my computer and not remembering how to go to Google! I was a computer 'expert'!!! And at first I had lost a lot of taste ability and I still have difficulty with remembering spelling.)

I was having a problem with my potassium levels etc, although now, through a series of drugs I am suitably stable and now have a very good blood pressure. (Hint, stop all coffee, all things like bananas, STOP SMOKING, do everything you can to get your blood levels back to 'normal'. You may not live for ever, but you have a chance of making old bones if you get sorted NOW!)

The NHS 'head' (psychologist) doctor bloke that I was sent to after the stroke insisted on stopping my licence for a year. Boring old fart. Promptly ended up back on a bicycle! I suspect that if I had hassled I could have got a second (better) opinion though. As it was, it took a year, and a couple of other doctors opinions before I was legally back behind the wheel... Thing is though it is all 'opinions', unless there is something demonstrably wrong.

I've since had a lovely time with my 2012 B Class, and I intend to continue to do so! I've just turned 64. Just a pity the music only gets worse, and all the artists I looked up to are dropping like flies.

Don't matter 'bout the shape I'm in, can't sing, ain't pretty and my legs are thin. Don't ask me what I think of you, 'cos I won't give the answers that you want me to... Oh well!

P.
 

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I was having a problem with my potassium levels etc, although now, through a series of drugs I am suitably stable and now have a very good blood pressure. (Hint, stop all coffee, all things like bananas, STOP SMOKING, do everything you can to get your blood levels back to 'normal'. You may not live for ever, but you have a chance of making old bones if you get sorted NOW!)



P.

I always thought bananas were good for us :confused:
 
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shine

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Thanks for that exjag no one told me to take BP first thing when i get out of bed, when i did that my BP was 124 sys...88 dia, that is good then, I have to say i do like stress in my life, it excites me, it keeps me alert and the mind active, but it could be the stress of life that will be my demise.
 

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Thanks for that exjag no one told me to take BP first thing when i get out of bed, when i did that my BP was 124 sys...88 dia, that is good then, I have to say i do like stress in my life, it excites me, it keeps me alert and the mind active, but it could be the stress of life that will be my demise.

Re taking BP first thing when you get up - do make sure you visit the loo first before you do the reading - failure to do that will add a few points!
 

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Re taking BP first thing when you get up - do make sure you visit the loo first before you do the reading - failure to do that will add a few points!

Thats the first thing that I have to do,,,and it wakes me up;)
 

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Thanks for that exjag no one told me to take BP first thing when i get out of bed, when i did that my BP was 124 sys...88 dia, that is good then...

Is it the driving which is causing the hypertension?

:D
 
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shine

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Thank you for all forum members for your feedback. I have found your personal experiences most interesting and helpful and some good advice on how to control and take my BP properly, I hope things turn out for the best! It's a bugger growing old :)
 
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