about a patient without even examining him?  Aren't you doing the same thing that Bill Frist did with Terri Schiavo?  Finally, while Obama has not completely kicked the habit of smoking, he has not been a regular smoker (ten cigarettes or more a day) for many years now.  Does that fact change your analysis of his heart rate?

utterly useless. yes, his doctor is in on some big bad ass cover up now too. sigh.

my blood pressure was always that low, even in my 40s.  Of course I got dizzy when I stood up to quick and the nurse in the doctors office always asked me if I was sick.  I am not surprised that Hillary is holding up better on the campaign trail.  He must be exhausted all the time with that blood pressure.

I am beginning to trust no one on this blog.

but if you are - and I struggle consistently with my bp - isn't low bp better than high bp?

It does seem improbable - but I can't believe a medical person would lie; still he gets a pass with most everything else - why not this

... has arthritis?

Speak for yourself......His bp and pulse are totally within normal limits and portray a person in good cardiovascular health. Where did you get your medical degree.......and while I'm at it, where are Senator Clinton's medical records.

Great cover-up theory.  

For what it's worth, I've never been slender but always had a slow heart rate.  In high school, it was about 48.  Sitting here, about 24 years after high school, and 30 pounds heavier, it's definitely under 60.

I always liked my slow heart rate.  Now I know I've been living a cover-up.

Not a cover-up just hastily prepared poppycock. Obama's chances of dying in office are substantially higher than an age and weight matched control simply by virtue of his smoking. That is a medical and actuarial fact.  Who was the last smoking president after FDR?

Obama hits the basketball court almost daily, is very active, and is overly lean. Other's may be impressed with the word sphygnomanometer, but I'm not. You're either not a medical doctor, or the worst one I've heard from in quite a while.

Geesh, is there nothing happening that is more important than Obama's smoking?  Smoking is legal. John McCain has had a history of serious medical problems, maybe the doctor could shed some light on those as they will probably be more significant in the long run?  Manufactured controversy, it's what we are left with.

Thank you for bringing this huge issue to light!

I'm a 24-year-old non-smoker.  I have a resting BP of about 140/85 and a resting heart rate of over 80.  By your logic--that is, excluding all factors in someone's life except age and smoking habit--I should be incredibly healthy but I'm not.

Of course, I'm also overweight and don't exercise nearly as much as I should.  Barack Obama, on the other hand, exercises regularly and is in perfect shape.

I hope you aren't a doctor, because no doctor should be irresponsible enough to try to make or challenge a diagnosis without ever having met the patient.

OK, I must say that 90/60 is one of my most common blood pressure readings, with some small variation in either number. It's always been about that as long as I remember. I used to donate blood but sometimes it's so low they won't let me. However I am never sick or tired and have more energy than many people in their 30s (I'm 61).

I have no idea who does or does not have a medical degree and how one would prove it on  a blog.  And i am not interested in proving if i have one.  But it is not that uncommon for some 47 years old to have a heart rate of 60 or less.  In addition, heart rate varies during the day and as a function of actiivity.  So BO could have had a morning exam before his day started and a heart rate of 60 is not that unusual.

I must agree that a BP of 90/60 is surprising but on the other hand we dont take blood pressure by hand anymore.  Most BP is taken by a machine that has a one size cuff and in my experience the blood pressure machines are not that great and this could easily account for the somewhat low reading.  

One last thing.  BO is being bad if he hasnt had an examine in 18 months (if that is true) and should try to fit one into his schedule.

david

Runners and athletes have resting heart rates that low.  I was a pack a day smoker til a few months ago and my BP was 100/70 consistently.  I also played soccer 3-4 days a week.  I hope you are never my doctor.

Worst doctor impersonation EVAR!!!!1 ZOMG!11!!1

Please tell me your name and location, so that when I'm in need of a doctor, I can make sure it's not you.  For someone who claims to have an MD, your maturity, class, and professionalism are not at all in evidence in this thread, and I shudder to think that the person operating on me or giving me a checkup could be this intellectually dishonest in his/her spare time.

Maybe he hadn't had a bite yet that day, and his BP was a little low.  

That said, I don't know that this qualifies as his medical records, so much as a quick summary of them meant to provide a (hilarious) contrast with McCain releasing his 1,200 pages for only a few hours so that no one could really dig through them.

How did he getaway with one page report? that is simply rediculous! where is MSM on this?

I think that's why he looks so tired all the time and seems to have no energy.

I thought this was ridiculous--1 page summary from an internist.  

In fact it is not believable.

I question the need to disclose medical records in the first place, whether for McCain, Obama, or anyone else.  Medical records are usually highly protected, and I find it invasive to demand that candidates disclose them.  And what good do they do?  They don't guarantee anything.  Obama had 1 page; McCain had 1200 pages.  Either of them could get hit by a bus tomorrow.  We've all known apparently healthy people who have suddenly been struck with catastrophic illness (I have a friend, for example, very healthy who was hit with MS in her prime) as well as people with serious conditions who function as well as anyone else (all those heart problems haven't kept Dick Cheney from wreaking havoc for eight years).  Are we going to start deciding that certain health issues or disabilities make someone fit for office?

What does this tell us about someone's fitness to lead?  After all, George Bush is a healthy man.

question McCain's age?

I'm sorry to tell all of you the Doctor is absolutley CORRECT 90/60 is not right...this is a complete lie

You are apparently unable to understand anything but stereotypes.  Firstly, I am a 43 year old female smoker and that is my BP...my heartrate is a little higher, but I figure that is attributable to lack of exercise.

As for smoking, my Ex-husband only smoked on the weekends, I only smoke before 8 and after 5 on most days...other smokers ask me how I can go so many hours without smoking...it is because smoking is more habit than addiction...granted a very deadly, sticky habit, but a habit nonetheless.  I have quite smoking for two years, and another time for nine months, the first 21 days are the hardest, but it doesn't really get much better even after the physical addiction is gone...that is due to the habit.

I don't believe you are or ever were a doctor.  I was a medic in the military and I highly suspect that I know more medicine than you do.

or more, at least half of that time two packs a day or more. My blood pressure stayed at about 90/60 until just a few years ago. My resting heart rate was about 60. My blood pressure these days is usually 100-110/70-80, and my pulse runs between 70 and 80. 120/80 and 80 pulse is just a guideline. Normal is different for everybody. I would think a doctor would know that.