At 47 years old, I now take Losartan daily for high blood pressure.
And for the longest time, I thought I had it under control.
Thatall changed when I underwent a scheduled a vasectomy.
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It was routine procedure, a minor surgery.
Nothing to worry about, right?
Except on the day of the operation, my blood pressure would not come down to a safe level for them to proceed.
They had to give me a sublingual (a fast-acting tablet that dissolves under your tongue to lower blood pressure quickly) before they could even start.
I was not in pain.
I was not sick.
I was just… stressed.
And apparently my body was telling me and everyone that something was wrong.
That morning taught me something else, I had been reading about but not really believing: stress and high blood pressure are not just loosely related.
They are directly, physiologically connected — and for Filipino men who carry a lot quietly and see doctors rarely, that connection is worth understanding.
When you are stressed, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol — hormones that put you on high alert.
Your heart beats faster.
Your blood vessels narrow (constrict).
Blood pressure goes up.
In short bursts, this is normal.
The problem is chronic stress — the kind that does not go away.
The deadlines that never end, the financial pressure, the things you carry alone because that is what Filipino men do.
When stress is constant, the blood pressure elevation becomes less temporary and more… structural.
Over time, consistently elevated blood pressure damages the walls of your arteries, strains your heart, and increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease.
| Blood Pressure Reading | What It Means |
| Below 120/80 mmHg | Normal — where you want to be |
| 120-129 / below 80 mmHg | Elevated — worth watching and addressing |
| 130-139 / 80-89 mmHg | Stage 1 hypertension — lifestyle changes needed |
| 140/90 mmHg and above | Stage 2 hypertension — medication likely required |
| 180/120 mmHg and above | Hypertensive crisis — go to the ER immediately |
What You Can Do About It
- Take your maintenance medication consistently — missing doses, as I have learned, is not something your body forgives quietly
- Monitor your blood pressure at home — a basic digital BP monitor costs PHP 800 to PHP 1,500 at any pharmacy and removes the guesswork
- Identify your specific stress triggers — vague stress is hard to manage; concrete problems have concrete solutions
- Sleep properly — poor sleep raises cortisol, which raises blood pressure; this is not optional maintenance, it is medical necessity
- Reduce sodium — toyo, bagoong, instant noodles, processed meats; Filipino food is delicious and also quietly catastrophic for hypertension
- Talk to your doctor before any procedure, even ‘minor’ ones — my vasectomy story exists because I underestimated what stress does to a body that is already managing hypertension
In Davao, a basic hypertension consult at SPMC costs PHP 100 to PHP 300 with PhilHealth. A private internist or cardiologist runs PHP 600 to PHP 1,500. If you are on maintenance medication and have not had a checkup in over six months, that is already overdue.
Too Much Stress Will Kill You
Stress will not kill you today.
That is the problem.
It works slowly, invisibly, and the damage accumulates long before any symptom shows up loudly enough to alarm you.
I thought I was managing my blood presure fine until a routine procedure revealed otherwise.
Do not wait for your own version of that morning. If you have not had your blood pressure checked recently, do it this week — not someday, this week.
Mercury Drug offers free BP monitoring at most branches.
And if the number surprises you, see a real doctor immediately.
Losartan works.
So does knowing early enough to act.
DISCLAIMER
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment.
