Hi all i need some help,i failed my physical because of high B/P an doc said the stress test i had from my doc was not good enough.My question is do i have to wait a certain amount of time to take the physical again.


Any help will be appreciated

Well,You didn't say what your pressure was but to fail a physical for hypertension your pressure would have to be at or above 180/110.If it's at this level you can expect a 6 month waiting period.If it was 160-179/100-109 you can be certified for 3 months but in that 3 months you need to bring down.If it was 140-159/90-99 you can be certified for 1 year and again you need to bring it down.I don't know if your on any BP med's but that might be needed along with a change in diet and some exercise.So again,you can go back to the doctor today and be certified if your pressure is under 180/110 and you start a course of treatment directed by your doctor.I'm on BP med's.I went the cheap route and got them at Walmart.3 months supply of generic for ten dollars.

I haven't seen anywhere that states you have to wait. What it does say is that you need to get your BP down to within limits. Once you have your medication then you'll be required to be recertified more frequently. Stage (1) 140/90-159/99 may be certified for 1 year without medication but after 1 year you'll need to have your BP down to 140/90 or less and then you'll just berecertified every year. If not they can give you a cerification for 3 months. Stage (2) you should be treated and you can get a one time 3 month certificate. Then you need to get it down to statge (1). Stage (3) greater than 180/110 can not be certified until the BP is reduced. Once it'd reduce to 140/90 or less you'll have to be recertified every 6 months.

There's more to the requirement and it's listed under the FMCSR §391.43 under the "Instructions for Performing and Recording Physical Examinations. Basiclly you need to get your BP down to 140/90 or less and then you'll just need to have your recertication done after 1 year.

However, you may have to wait to get your BP down to that level. I know doctors like to get the right medication so you'll be level and not go up and down so that may take some time. You need to see a doctor to get started because if your BP was high enough to not get certified then you need BP medication.

Thanks for the info

You failed to provide enough information. Was this the first time you tested for hypertension? If so, what was the systolic (high number), and the diastolic (low number)?

There are specifications in part 391 for your blood pressure. Without knowing the complete story no person can give you a correct or proper answer.

From a retired federal DOT officer

I think his question was answered. It wasn't about the blood pressure, but about the wait. If he can get his blood pressure down to less than 140/90 in 20 minutes, he could re-test.
Or he could do it the next day - I don't recall any time specification in 391 regarding this.(I could be wrong - it's been known to happen)

Of course, if his BP was insanely high, yeah - he could re-test, but it's gonna be a bit before it comes down to acceptable levels.

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LURCHGS: You're right about the time frame. Usually a clinic will send the driver to their personal physician to fix the problem. If it's fixed, the driver goes back to the same clinic & re-tests. If the numbers are OK, then the clinic issues the medical. But remember too, that if the BP is still high but within the part 391 limits the clinic may issue the medical for 3-months as well. Then too, a clinic may issue a medical for maybe 1-year as well as a 2-year depending on the numbers assuming it is within the 391 requirements.

PSanderson - yup. I'm fairly familiar with this bit, since I have high BP and had a 3 month card. Down side was, I ran out of my meds on the way home and retested after I'd been off meds for 3 days.

Fortunately, I was home over a weekend and I'd picked my meds up first thing. monday morning went back in to the clinic and passed. Got my 1-year card.

Doc was really careful about explaining the situation, too

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Keep the big doors at the back!

By the way, if the doctor giving the DOT physical stated you must have a stress test, then you must take the stress test.