Hi people ...

I want to know, is it safe to exercise with high blood pressure?

I'm 26, and my high blood pressure isn't officially medically diagnosed - although every time I go they comment on my high blood pressure when there but they say it's due to stress because I do experience a lot of anxiety over going to the dr. But a week ago I bought a personal blood pressure monitor after a practical class I had at university (I'm studying biology) revealed that I had high blood pressure there.

I haven't made many readings, but here are the results of them:

On 2nd Feb: 149/83 (similar to the reading I got in uni), heart rate 70.

This morning: 164/87, heart rate 77.

This evening: 150/85, heart rate 70.

For all these I have tried to make sure that I am as relaxed as I can be, having not done any exercise for at least 10 minutes before it, nor have I eaten nor drank anything for a few hours before it. I sit quietly in a chair and read until I think I am ready.

My weight is about 9st 9 (135 lb) (BMI 26.4) so I am slightly overweight.

So I have read that exercise can decrease blood pressure, but I have also read that blood pressure actually rises when exercising. Is it safe to exercise as my BP is now? I am not exactly sedentary now: I don't do much physical exercise but I do walk for at least 40 mins, most days of the week, to get to uni. I am thinking of taking up jogging ... I have jogged before but I can never really get into it, but I might try progressing too fast with it. I don't like swimming.

Should I tell my dr about the high BP before I start exercising? Or should I start the exercise and see if it makes a difference to the BP, and if it doesn't, to visit him then?

My aunt on my mother's side has told me that high blood pressure runs in the family. Could this be it? If so, would exercise make any difference at all in this case?

Silver