DR ELLIE CANNON: Should the doctor have seen my heart attack imminent? –

My doctor’s office nurse measured my blood pressure as 162/84, decided it was high, and recommended that I bring a monitor home and record a few more readings to send to them. Two days later I had a severe heart attack. Should I be sent to the hospital for an emergency checkup?

High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, it is considered a serious condition. There are no symptoms, so we regularly monitor patients’ blood pressure during appointments.

However, we do not diagnose high blood pressure or hypertension with a single reading, for good reason. Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day depending on what we do, what we eat, and how much water we drink or are stressed. And it is almost always higher when taken in a medical setting because patients feel nervous.

Typically, three separate measurements are taken at the clinic, and if all are high, patients are sent home the next week with a monitor for further readings.

If a high reading pattern occurs, we can say that the patient is hypertensive.

In rare cases, blood pressure readings may be extremely high – possibly with chest pain or eye problems – and in such cases immediate hospitalization for treatment is recommended. But 162/84, although long, is not that uncommon. If such readings were seen consistently, we would offer medications to reduce this. This may help reduce the risk of a heart attack, but simply controlling your blood pressure is not enough.

Cholesterol, blood sugar, genetics, age and lifestyle also play a role, and heart attacks often occur as a result of years of deteriorating health.

Despite this, patients often claim that the heart attack “came out of nowhere” because they didn’t feel particularly bad before. And despite all efforts to reduce the risks, people continue to have heart attacks.

Two years ago I had a severe attack of shingles – it hit my face – and struggled with chronic pain. I was given painkillers but they didn’t agree with me so I looked for alternatives including acupuncture. Do you have any advice in this direction?

Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Most of us carry it harmlessly into our bodies after catching it in childhood. For reasons not fully understood, the virus can reactivate, causing blisters and pain.

It’s more common in older people, so we recommend getting the shingles vaccine for people over 70 to reduce their risk of developing the condition. However, teenagers can also develop it.

The rash usually disappears after a week or two, but about a third of patients remain with long-lasting nerve pain, which we call post-herpetic neuralgia.

This is a terrifying and debilitating condition, and this feeling is unlike any other. People often describe burning, a sharp pain, and even compare it to an electric shock.

It is also difficult to treat, as the specific drugs we use that target nerve pain are known to cause side effects.

Simpler pain relievers such as acetaminophen or codeine are likely to provide only mild relief.

Persistent pain should warrant referral to a specialist pain service to explore wider options. These may include psychological therapy and alternative therapies.

Aromatherapy or relaxation treatments can be invaluable in providing comfort, and while doctors cannot prescribe or recommend the details of them, we highly recommend them. Relaxation is an important part of chronic pain management.

The Shingles Support Association has an information pack for neuralgia surfers that includes many alternative ways to deal with pain.

• Visit shinglessupport.org.uk or call the helpline on 0845 123 2305.

I have been suffering from back and hip pain for 2 months. My doctor took a blood and urine sample that showed elevated protein levels. He said he wanted to check for my myeloma again, but that I had to wait three months for my next test. I’m worried to death. Should I?

Low back pain is one of the most common problems family physicians see in clinics. The cause is usually a back or spine problem, as you might think.

However, sometimes it can be a sign of something sinister.

Myeloma is a type of blood cancer. There are around 6,000 new cases a year in the UK, with most of them diagnosed in their 75s.

One symptom may be lower back pain or bone pain in the upper back. Other symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal pain or muscle weakness.

If a doctor suspects myeloma, we ask for very specific blood and urine tests and an X-ray of the painful area.

If any of these indicate cancer, we will immediately refer you to a hematologist within two weeks.

This would normally be done urgently rather than waiting.

Anyone who is unclear about the advice or treatment recommended by a doctor should always go back and try to discuss further.

999 should be a lifeline, it’s not a waste of time

I was shocked to learn that Professor Robert Winston, a fertility pioneer and one of our leading scientists, received appalling treatment from 999 call managers last year when his wife Lira was dying of cardiac arrest.

The 81-year-old man explained to the Lords last week that the operator had bombarded him with “time-wasting” questions and failed to see that his 72-year-old wife had seconds to live. Lord Winston argued that the man was “not trained to ask the right questions.”

The inappropriate behavior of 999 call managers is something The Mail on Sunday highlighted in 2017. After hearing Lord Winston’s story, I fear these dire problems still exist, but I wouldn’t be surprised that ambulance services are under more pressure than ever before.

Have you had a similar experience with 999 calls? Please write and tell me.

Robert Winston, pictured alive in Lira, spoke to the House of Lords last week about the “time-wasting” questions asked by 999 call operators when his wife was dying.

Minister Quince will not fail

Last week, under the wave of political resignations, I noticed that MP Will Quince had resigned.

I wrote about him a few weeks ago when I found out that we have the Minister for Childhood and Family in charge of advocating for young people with learning difficulties. He has been in this post since September 2021. Despite working for days helping vulnerable families who visit my studio for support, I’m surprised to have never heard from him.

Parents of children with complex needs, shelter, health care, financial aid, etc. encounters serious difficulties. It’s a touching photo that The Mail on Sunday regularly reports, but she’s never had any contact with Will. I hope his successor will have more influence. It won’t be difficult.