Recruiter Says One Thing / TruckersReport Says Another?

I think it has to be lower than 140/90

 

A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person:
Has no current clinical diagnosis of high blood pressure likely to interfere with the ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle safely.
Hypertension alone is unlikely to cause sudden collapse; however, the likelihood increases when target organ damage, particularly cerebral vascular disease is present. This advisory criteria is based on FMCSA's Cardiovascular Advisory Guidelines for the Examination of CMV Drivers, which used the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (1997).
Stage 1 hypertension corresponds to a systolic BP of 140-159 mmHg and/or a diastolic BP of 90-99 mmHg. The driver with a BP in this range is at low risk for hypertension-related acute incapacitation and may be medically certified to drive for a one-year period. Certification examinations should be done annually thereafter and should be at or less than 140/90. If less than 160/100, certification may be extended one time for three months.



I would be sad if Prime, Inc. pushed these standards beyond FMCSA guide lines, as this would disqualify many good drivers. Doctors are very slow to put people on medication with stage one if it is well controlled, because of all the long term negative effects of these medications.

 

Do tell us more about the prolong long term negative effects of hypertensive medications. Does that include calcium channel blockers or beta blockers? Just asking a question...

 

Diuretics, Beta-Blockers, ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin antagonists, , Calcium channel blockers, Alpha blockers, Alpha beta blockers, nervous system inhibitors, and Vasodilators all can have negative effects over the long haul, depending on your health and heredity. My brother and father are cardiologists and this topic comes up often in our household, as my step son is stage one hypertensive.

P.S. I do have some detailed knowledge in this area, but I will caution you, I'm not board certified.

 

That's great... We will have to disagree on the negative effects of long-term hypertensive drug therapy, e.g. if left untreated or under treated, the mortality and morbidity of hypertension with small vessel disease is much higher as compared to the negative effects of drug therapy associated with death.

I do believe there's a therapeutic role with exercise, diet and life style changes as a first line of defense. However, some overweight and sedentary people are not going to stick with the program.

I was never into cardiology other than a required PALS and ACLS certification that has long since expired. Give me an endocrine system and I'm happy camper. How's the family feeling about Medicare payments after the first of the year? The doctors in your family ought to keep the Prime's recruiter No. penciled on the wall.

Trucking companies can exceed DOT medical standards and often do. Every now and then you will read on the forum(s) about someone diagnosed with hypertension and subsequently being sent home. Some of the cuff numbers are boarderline, too. It all comes down to the M.D's opinion at the prospective employer/trucking company.

 

There is no doubt there is a place for "long-term hypertensive drug therapy", but the problem comes with what stage to start drug therapy. So many people are put on medication in the early stages and no mention of life style change is discussed and or the patient is simply medicated because he is going to carrier which requires he/she meet their standard, beyond even what the FMCSA medical doctors feel is safe.
The key is to determine what is causing the high blood pressure, is it heredity, inactive life style, smoker, diet, obesity? Or is cause because of renal (kidney) disorders, hormonal disorder's, neurological conditions, etc. I guess that fact that so many doctors with extensive knowledge cannot agree at what stage to start a drug therapy and the recommendations change every few years, send a red flag that we are just treating symptoms, instead of finding the true origins.
Some people will never make the life style changes needed to eliminate high blood pressure and in those cases, yes it better to just medicate (better than suffering a stroke) but there are a whole host of people that should never have started a "small dose" drug therapy and could have made some very simple lifestyle changes.
Merry Christmas!

 

We need not always agree. However, in this case it sounds like we do.

I came from a very humble background or to put it more succinctly, as a child we didn't have two nickles to rub together and when we did it was already spent. I wish we lived in an idyllic world where everyone has access to medical care that exceeds community standards. Without being pleonastic (I hope) I will do my best to keep to keep this short.

My diet consists of fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts, cheese, 100 % whole grain breads, water and coffee. It's expensive to eat healthy. If I have only $5.00 to eat on for a few days I'm not going to be buying the aforementioned foods with fruit and vegetables costing as much as $2.49 or more per pound.

Me, I'm going to take that same $5.00 and hopefully get two pounds of beans, perhaps two potatoes, a sack of corn meal and pry I can get a piece of fatback and hopefully eat for the week.

If you've read this far you may be thinking what the he ll does this dribble have to do with trucking.

People from all backgrounds, educational levels and for whatever reason look to trucking as a honorable career and a means to better themselves and the life of their family. Unfortunately, there are people from humble backgrounds that are flat broke, never had equal educational opportunities and grew up in one giant crapfest where healthcare, unless you're dying doesn't happen.

From what I have read on this forum and from pure personal experience trucking company docs are not doing a physical examination but rather performing a health assessment. As you know, these doctors are not intended to be a personal physician. In the REAL WORLD a diagnosis of hypertension is not made with one visit to the doc in the box no more than being labeled a diabetic is made with one elevated blood glucose level. Trucking company health assessments, upon FIRST REVIEW, comes down to you either have high blood pressure or you don't using the federal guideline. For some of the less fortunate in life, if presented with the opportunity to take this medicine and see if the blood pressure lowers over the next few days or go home flat broke, most people will take the medicine.

I agree, the use of medication should not be the first line of defense in treatment, but there are times where socioeconomics are a major factor in who gets to drive an 18 wheeler and those that do not.

And a very Merry RamaHanaQuanzMas to you and yours.

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Having a few years’ experience in the industry as an actual driver and attended a few orientations as well an obvious medical background, I definitely do not agree with this statement or any part of it, but again it’s an open forum and we can all believe what we wish. Good luck in your endevors!

 

... and to you, as well.