What's causing the coughing fits?
That could be a BIG reason why your BP is elevated.
Quote:
When you cough, the diaphragm contracts sharply upwards, expelling air from the lungs. This decreases the pressure in the chest which rapidly fills with air again. This swing in pressure from full lungs, to empty, back to full again takes place over a second.
The heart is sitting right behind the left lung, on top of the diaphragm. It moves with the diaphragm. The pulsatile cough increases interthroacic, and hence intercardiac pressure increasing the blood pressure.
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You're on the right track about decreasing your sodium and caffeine intake, as well as increasing you PT level, but do that (the PT) slowly so as not to bring on those "coughing fits."
But get that/those coughing fits checked ASAP.