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"High blood pressure is what is known as “the silent killer”. Untreated hypertension, over time, will destroy your kidneys. I had an Aunt that died this way. She ignored her high blood pressure for years. One day she went into complete renal shutdown. Her kidneys had stopped working. She died in a couple of days."

I'm 64 now; when I was around 48-50 I was diagnosed with high BP...I ignored it. About 5 years later I finally went on "Diovan"...but, refusing to think that I might actually die someday, I cold turkey'd the drug for 4 days...I had a cerebral Hemorrage and was life-flighted to Atlanta where I remained hospitialized for 4 weeks.

Luckily, I had a good doctor and he saved my life, with the only residual effect being a slight loss of periphrial vision in the upper left quadrant.

After that, it was discovered that I had a large cyst on one kidney, and very high creatnin levels, not quite up to the dialysis level, but getting there. I had 65% use of one kidney, and about 80% of the other.

In 2004 I had a renal bypass to restore blood flow to the kidneys which somewhat improved the function.

Now, after having to endure all that, if I had it to do over again I would definitely heed the warnings of the first doctor who told me I needed to be on medication...it would have prevented all of this.

So, Wendy1946 (I'm Frank1945) and my friendly advice to you is if you have chronic high BP...handle it now before it destroys those little capillaries in your kidneys, brain, and whatever.

I was too stubborn and had to learn it the hard way.

I have low BP and have always had, but my Dr. says my high Cholesterol is genetic and has been pushing me forever to take the Statins. I have steadfastly refused. I have tried all of the promised natural methods to lower it to no avail. Finally, common sense tells me that if it is genetic then I got it from my forebears. My mother, father, both grandmothers, both grandfathers, and greatgrandmothers all lived past 90 without considerable problems. I should worry? I’m healthy, hardly ever catch colds, am hyperactive and still working at 76. I’ll pass on the drugs.