This is will do the opposite! A driver with a diagnosis of hypertension on treatment should have at least an annual certification. Drinking a cup of cold water first thing in the morning will jumpstart your organs and also prepare your metabolism for the day. It is difficult to pick the right foods when you are traveling, especially when sweets and sugary items are less of a hassle to carry with you. Stage 3 Hypertension: Blood pressure at or above 180/110: Automatic disqualification, 6-month certification once blood pressure is under control, and you must renew your medical card every six months. Sometimes a medical issue that causes a physician to fail a truck driver for their DOT physical exam is a clear cut necessity because the driver could pose a threat to themselves or other motorists if they were to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Try IMST (Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training), Eat a banana (potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure), Practice deep breathing exercises. Usually this is never a problem because your DOT physical will require you to give a urine sample before you begin your exam, but if they give you the option to do it afterwards, tell them you want to wait until you can give a urine sample before starting the physical exam. When my next DOT physical was due I went to CVS to renew and lo and behold I failed again for high blood pressure. Stage 3. We realize that some shifts can last up to 11 hours at a time, but without the necessary sleep you wont be healthy enough to pass your DOT physical. DOT Physical and Blood Pressure Requirements for Medical Card DOT physical and blood pressure considerations - Higher than normal blood pressure can result in failed DOT physical exam so keep blood pressure controlled. Medical examiners have two ways to determine if any medication a driver uses will adversely affect the safe operation of a CMV: There are several different types of blood pressure medication designed to target various aspects of Hypertension. Depending on how much time you have prior to your DOT physical, you should visit your chiropractor if you have back pain. Individuals with a blood pressure reading greater than 180/110 are disqualified. Give us a call today at (407)-790-4908to schedule or for more information. Stage 1 Hypertension: Blood pressure between 140/90 - 159/99, 1-year medical certificate, must be renewed every 12 months. (A video of a simple "belly breathing" routine can be found here. You can use FMCSAs website to find a qualified medical examiner on their National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Depending on your personality type, lots of banter back and forth between you and your doctor could raise your blood pressure levels a little bit. It is absolutely critical that you are honest about your medical history and answer all of the questions truthfully. And while high blood pressure can be disqualifying, it doesn't need to be if you manage it properly. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard. If you already know that you have above average blood pressure, you may feel that overwhelming anxiety of the results. Drivers can still be approved for a CDL through stage three Hypertension. With over 100,000 CDL jobs available annually, TransForce Group is the #1 choice for drivers. High blood pressure. Request a letter from the prescribing doctor. Bananas are high in potassium which has been known to lower blood pressure. If you can help it, try to not smoke, vape, or drink coffee the day of your exam to help pass your DOT physical. A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. While this can be hard to do while living the trucker life, medication and commitment to a healthy lifestyle can be a huge help. We promise to never sell or share Sometimes you wont even have high blood pressure normally but will have higher blood pressure readings when at the doctor (white coat syndrome). High blood pressure can weaken arteries from the constant pressure of blood flowing through them, leading to kidney failure, damage to the blood vessels in the . A generally healthy blood pressure is required to pass the DOT physical, and there are different ranges of blood pressure health that may be permitted for certification. Call us at (844) 636-2573 for more information on how we can help save you money, time, and heartache. Stage 2 allows driving, but operators must work on lowering their blood pressure. Drivers on hypertension medication can be medically certified to drive if their medication does not produce side effects that impair their ability to drive safely. If you failed the physical part of the exam, ask if there is something you could correct. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. The reason we say practice is because for beginners its often difficult to sit down and clear the mind of unwanted stress. Drink beet juice. Learn more about Encore Protection! Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. A history of high blood pressure alone will not disqualify a driver. Anything above that range is considered stage one Hypertension. The urine test for a DOT Physical involves urine testing for sugar, protein, blood, and other issues.Drug testing is typically not required. Passing a DOT physical, commonly called a DOT exam, is an important step for commercial drivers. ), Get at least 8 hours sleep when possible (or as much as possible), Make sure you try to keep stress to a minimum many have reported that just 15 20 minutes of quiet meditation a few days a week can dramatically reduce stress, If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation, Avoid or cut back on smoking and other nicotine products (as nicotine is a stimulant), Avoid energy drinks and excessive amounts of coffee / soft drinks, Turmeric / Curcumin has shown great promise and effectiveness in reducing high blood pressure, Garlic in tablet or pill form or natural is considered by many to be helpful for higher blood pressure, Drink at least 8, 8oz glasses of water a day, If you are over 40 and your doctor says its ok, take a baby aspirin daily. Breathe normally and calmly. There is no obligation whatsoever. Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials. Working with a doctor will help truckers find which one works best for them. He really only wants to monitor your situation before signing off on a two year card. Those with stage 2 hypertension have blood pressure readings between 160/100 and 179/109 and will be medically certified for three months. None of the tips to lower blood pressure here are a guarantee and should be treated as such. Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds. A 15 minute walk around the areas where you rest or stop should do the trick. Your doctor and the medical examiner will determine if your medication will "adversely affect a driver's ability to operate a CMV safely.". However, as long as the information from doctor to doctor doesn't vary, and you didn't get more than two physicals administered, a medical card that is issued by a second examiner will be considered valid. Diabetes. Drivers with Hypertension must prove they have their condition under control when they recertify their CDL. Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? It takes time to learn how to meditate properly and there are plenty of online courses to help you learn the proper format. I tested . The second number measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats and is called diastolic pressure. Especially if you have high blood pressure. If you can remove all types of beverages except for water for a week before your DOT physical, you will have a better chance of lowering your blood pressure. If I failed the DOT physical test for too high of a blood pressure or something, how soon afterward can I retake it again? A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle. Disqualification will occur if the condition is not under control within three months. A person will be eligible to drive if they can show their blood pressure is well managed, and subsequent DOT medical exams prove this. your information with a third-party. Simply replacing sugary drinks and coffee with water helps more than you think. A typical heartbeat is expressed like this 120/80, with the former number representing systolic pressure and the latter number representing diastolic pressure. Many drivers want to make sure their blood pressure is under control on the day of the DOT physical. For example, drivers will need to renew their medical card at least once every year instead of the standard recertification every two years. If this is the case with you, dont let it stress you out too much. Quick Links. A drivers file will include their driving record as well as their medical certification status. If you have any questions, or need assistance with finding a DOT physician, give us a call at 877-352-1996. Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds. Give us a call today at (407)-790-4908 to schedule or for more information. You must renew your medical card every 12 months. There are reasons the FCMSA has set these stipulations in place for your DOT physical. A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions: The Commercial Drivers License Information System (CDLIS) is a nationwide computer system that enables state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) to ensure that each commercial driver has only one drivers license and one complete driver record. This typically means you need to have a physical examination every two years for the Department of Transportation (DOT). If the DOT physical finds a blood pressure of 140 - 159 on the top and / or 90-99 on the bottom classifies as Stage 1 hypertension and the driver can be DOT certified for 1 year; subsequent years should be 140/90 or better. One of the main causes of elevated stress levels is drivers not getting enough sleep during their down time. There are some areas where the physician must use their best judgment because the issue isnt as black and white. A nervous or psychiatric disease. Some of these reasons include: The driver may not be qualified, even temporarily, until blood pressure is reduced to equal to or less than 140/90 and treatment is well tolerated. We have a great detailed source for good habits to pickup for 2020 if you want more information, SNACKS THAT CUT CRAVINGS AND ARE DELICIOUS. Checking for high blood pressure (or Hypertension) is a routine part of these physicals. There are a variety of reasons a certified medical examiner (CME) can fail a trucker for their DOT physical. A natural survival mechanism, but horrible for taking a DOT blood pressure test. Missing extremities. Cardiovascular or respiratory disease. But that is not always the case. There is strong evidence that Hypertension drastically increases the risk of heart disease and that effective treatment reduces cardiovascular illness and death. They can include taking steps such as reducing the amount of sodium in the diet and exercising more regularly. However, there are limits placed on how high a driver's blood pressure can be for each stage of Hypertension. When the driver's blood pressure is below 140/90, they may be certified at six-month intervals.