Hypertension and Drivers

This week's safety bulletin details the different stages of hypertension and how to lower hypertension and lead a healthier lifestyle on the road. Read the full safety bulletin here and subscribe to receive future bulletins directly to your inbox. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that 26% of truck drivers say they have hypertension. Individuals with high blood pressure can still drive but must take steps to lower it and should receive more frequent DOT physicals to maintain certification.

Question: I have sent my driver for a DOT physical, and the doctor has issued a three-month certification due to their blood pressure (hypertension). Can my driver continue to be qualified by seeing the physician every three months and receiving a new medical certificate?

Answer: NO

The three-month certification for hypertension is a one-time certification. As the regulations define, hypertension falls into four stages depending on either the driver's systolic or diastolic blood pressure readings.

Stages of Hypertension:

Stage 0 (systolic of 139 or less/diastolic of 89 or less)

• A driver will be certified for two years.

Stage 1 (systolic of 159-140 /diastolic of 99-90) 

• A driver may be certified for one year. Upon recertification, if the driver's blood pressure is equal to or less than 140/90, could they again be approved for one year. However, if the driver's blood pressure is greater than 140/90 and less than 160/100 at the time of recertification, the driver is issued a one-time three-month certificate.

Stage 2 (systolic of 179-160 /diastolic of 109-100) 

• A driver with this condition must be treated and given a one-time, three-month certificate. Once the driver has reduced the blood pressure to 140/90 or less, a one-year certificate is issued and recertified annually.

Stage 3 (systolic equal to or greater than 180 /diastolic equal to or greater than 110) 

• A driver with this condition can only be certified once their blood pressure drops to 140/90 or less. Recertification occurs every six months.

*Once a driver has been diagnosed with hypertension, the recertification for Stages 1 and 2 will continue to occur annually, and the recertification for Stage 3 will occur every six months. As outlined in 391.43, the regulations specifically state that recertification should occur more frequently if a driver has hypertension or takes hypertension medication.

Individuals with a blood pressure reading greater than 180/110 are disqualified.

 However, you may apply again once you’ve lowered your blood pressure.

You are not disqualified forever.

What can you do to help control hypertension?

-Eat healthy foods. Try the dietary approach to control hypertension. Eat more balanced meals that contain whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fat. Get plenty of potassium. Eat less saturated fat, trans fat, and total fat. Limit the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet.

-Maintain a healthy weight. Losing even 5 pounds can lower your blood pressure if you're overweight.

-Increase physical activity. Strive for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

-Limit Alcohol. Even if you are healthy, alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Drink in moderation; it is suggested no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men.

-Don't Smoke. Tobacco injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the hardening of the arteries. If you smoke, get help. Ask your doctor to help you quit!

-Manage your stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice healthy coping techniques, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing. Get plenty of sleep!

Driver Health on the Road

As a commercial motor vehicle driver, it is hard to eat and remain healthy compared to other professions. Just the job's physical demands make it hard to stay physically fit, such as requiring you to sit to operate the vehicle unless you are collecting garbage and eating while on the job also does not lend itself to a healthy lifestyle. The following will provide you with some tips to stay healthy when eating fast food.

Select the following:

• The smallest-sized hamburger
• Grilled chicken sandwiches or salads
• Low-fat dressings and sauces (or none at all)
• Diet soft drinks or, preferably, water

Avoid the following:

• Super-sized ANYTHING
• Fried foods
• High-fat dressings and sauces
• Extra/ sides of cheese

The #1 Secret To Reduce Blood Pressure

MOVEMENT!

The human body is designed to move. Our heart works hard to move blood around our body; the heart depends on movement to help move the blood around. Physical activity triggers changes in your blood vessels, muscles, metabolism, and brain. Movement is medicine and will promote overall better heart health. If you are sitting for hours on end with no movement, your heart is working overdrive to pump all the blood in your body, straining your heart.

The secret to reducing blood pressure and staying out of hypertension is MOVEMENT!

Move any way you can, anytime you can!

• Find small ways to move your legs, feet, hands, arms, shoulders, and neck. The secret is moving frequently.
• Find ways to be active outside the truck. Activity periods of 10 minutes four or five times a day will go a long way to reduce blood pressure and maintain your DOT medical card at two-year intervals.
• If unloading or loading is taking too long, take that time to move, stretch, or walk.
• Park at the far end of the rest stop to get more steps in
• Don't always eat at the truck stop. Walk to a nearby restaurant or grocery store for healthier options.
• Step in and out of your truck ten times after stopping for a meal. Or walk around your truck ten times. Every extra step helps!
• Walk around the parking lot, up and down the rows, and find the nicest-looking customized truck.
• Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your heart. A healthy heart helps keep blood pressure low. Regular physical activity also helps control your weight and reduce stress. Any regular exercise like walking or biking, even 15 minutes a day, will do wonders for your health.

Clearinghouse Return-to-Duty Process for CDL Drivers

A driver with a drug and alcohol program violation is prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions, including operating commercial motor vehicles, for any DOT-regulated employer until the driver has completed the return-to-duty (RTD) process established in 49 CFR part 40.

Beginning November 18, 2024, as part of new Federal regulations, drivers with a "prohibited" status in FMCSA's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will be denied or lose their State-issued commercial driving privileges. FMCSA recently added a new visor card resource to the Clearinghouse Learning Center that outlines the RTD process that drivers with a "prohibited" Clearinghouse status must complete to get their status back to "not prohibited." You can download this new resource below. The visor card and additional materials with more details on the RTD process are also available in the Clearinghouse Learning Center.