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My blood pressure is 180/110 or higher — Stage 3. What now?

SPECIALIST / EXEMPTION PATH

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Federal source: Appendix A to Part 391, §A (Hypertension); FMCSA Medical Examiner's Handbook 2024, §4.6 · Rules checked October 2026

What the federal text says

Stage 3 hypertension is a reading of 180 systolic and/or 110 diastolic or higher. Under FMCSA's advisory criteria the driver is not qualified at that reading. Once the reading is controlled to 140/90 or below and treatment is tolerated, certification resumes on 6-month certificates. These stages are FMCSA's published advisory criteria (Appendix A; Handbook §4.6), applied by the examiner.

What that means for you

Not qualified today at that reading — full stop, and any examiner who certified it would be breaking the framework. But the path back is written down: control the pressure, tolerate the treatment, then 6-month cards.

What moves the outcome

This reading is also a genuine health emergency range — see your own clinician urgently, not just for the card. Bring treatment records and a home log showing sustained readings at or below 140/90 when you return.

Which mode is this?

This question is decided by the federal text itself. The verdict above is computed from the cited words — your examiner is bound by the same text.

Only a certified medical examiner on the National Registry can certify you. FreightVerdict reads the published federal standards — it does not certify, diagnose, or treat, and nothing here is medical advice.

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