re: Anyone in their 40s taking blood pressure meds?

Me. I’m a couple years older than you, but have zero risk factors other than family history.

BMI not an issue (I’m technically underweight)
Non-smoker
Light drinker
Minimal caffeine intake
Exercise 3-4x a week
Cholesterol & blood sugar in optimal ranges
No excessive sodium or processed foods in my regular diet
Normal labs; no signs of kidney disease

None of that has stopped my BP readings from running between 140/90 and 165/105 pretty much all the time lately. My doctor did go through the whole risk factor checklist and only prescribed meds after a pretty thorough monitoring period because she literally couldn’t think of anything else to recommend that would be in my control.

Since then I’ve started on a few approved supplements (magnesium, omega-3s, etc.) and switched to a standing desk at work thinking maybe I’ll be able to back off on the prescription stuff at some point. I realize that’s probably a vain hope, but it can’t hurt to try.

At the end of the day, though, it comes down to this: while I genuinely hate the idea of being on drugs for hypertension, I hate the idea of having a stroke even more.