Anyone know much about high BP?

[mynameisuna]

My dad's got a history of high BP and used to take meds, but a couple of years ago he lost lots of weight and no longer needed to take them. He says he's been a bit slack about monitoring his BP recently, but when he took it yesterday for the first time in ages it was 177 over something, and today it's 188/78. He took one of my mum's BP pills and that's brought it down, and he says he'll go down to the doctor tomorrow afternoon after his game of golf in the morning. I know nothing about high BP, but looking at Google I think he ought to go either tonight or first thing tomorrow (before playing golf!). Am I overreacting?

It's probably been like it for ages - one more day probably won't make a difference (unless he has symptoms of very high BP). He shouldn't take someone else's BP medication - it may not be appropriate for him.

Mine was 190/110 at one point, the Dr doubled my dosage. It was only picked up on a GP visit for something else.

He definitely should just take your mum's meds though, just go to the Dr tomorrow.

No, I told him he shouldn't take mum's meds. Maybe I'll leave him be until tomorrow though and not badger him to phone 111 tonight. I still think golf is a bad idea though!

That's not massively high in the short term if feeling ok. He needs to do several BP readings at home at different times and then take them into the GP. They will just likely tell him to restart his meds.