Doctor just put me on Atenolol (25mg) for my moderate high blood pressure (25yo male) anybody have any experience.......

[steppinthrax]

Anyway

Since I've been a kid in high school my blood pressure has always been high. When I was in 9th grade the family doctor I went to tested my blood pressure to be high (around 140 or so). I'm finished my undergrad right now and I got a job and started going to to the doctor though my insurance. They tested my blood pressure for the whole year while I started exercising (jogging) 3 or so times a week (40 mins or so outside). Besides losing a couple of pounds on follows ups nothing changed with my blood pressure. I don't add salt to my foods either. I don't eat a lot of salty foods either. Eventually just a couple of days ago the doctor put me on Atenolol. I notice it lowers my pulse considerably and it's lowered when I jog. I also notice my anxiety is considerably lowered as well.

I was reading that this drug is a beta blocker used for multiple purposes but it's used mainly for high blood pressure and post heart attack management. Since it blocks the production of adrenalin it lowers the heart rate.

Anybody have any experience or are on this drug???

 

[marvdmartian]

I've used it, along with Benicar, since I went on BP medicine.....about 6 years ago now. Genetics, age, and an unhealthy lifestyle led me to it. I'm currently on 50mg of Atenelol, twice a day.

For me, it's been a wonderful drug to use. ZERO side effects from either medication, and my doctor's always very happy with my BP when I come in for my semi-annual followup exams. Before BP medication, I actually hit (at the age of 39) a BP of 170/140, and when I first went to see my current doctor (who put me on BP medicine), it was 170/110. Now I'm usually in the vicinity of 120/80.

And yeah, I've noticed that it's more difficult to drive up my heart rate. That's a good thing, since I started on the treadmill a few months ago (just walking now, until I drop my weight to where it won't tear up my knees), and I have to work myself harder to get the pulse rate up to where it's doing me some good. Sort of causes me to work myself harder than I might otherwise!

 

[chin311]

im wondering if i have high blood pressure

i eat badly, my dad has high blood pressure.

every time i visit a walmart or something i visit the machine and its usually anywhere from 130/90 to 150/90...bad aye? but idk how accurate those are

 

[Nocturnal]

I have high bp. I take Benicar. It has worked great so far. I am trying to lose weight although it's a really hard battle. Wish you the best and God bless.

 

[gramboh]

Originally posted by: chin311
im wondering if i have high blood pressure

i eat badly, my dad has high blood pressure.

every time i visit a walmart or something i visit the machine and its usually anywhere from 130/90 to 150/90...bad aye? but idk how accurate those are

I think 150/90 is cause for concern, probably want to see a doctor, then again readings are affected by a lot of things, need to take a lot of them (in a relaxed state) to get an accurate measure. I managed 112/74 or something recently, was releaved since my diet is shit.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

When I was 24 I was briefly put on it. I was having some crazy stress, was eating badly, and never exercising. I fixed those things and I am off it, and have normal to good BP.

Work on you stress and get a second medical opinion, that is my feeling.

 

[TraumaRN]

As long as you dont have asthma or diabetes you should be fine on Atenolol. You should ask your doctor if he wanted to try a diuretic as well(instead of the atenolol) but if the atenolol works then that is fine.

And try and keep exercising and reducing your stress, as that will help with BP control long term.


(Oh and never never use cocaine while on any sort of beta-blockers, unless you want to be singing high soprano )

 

[marvdmartian]

Also, if your doctor wants to put you on other types of blood pressure medication, make certain you understand the restrictions you might have using them.

My doctor, when we first started controlling my BP, put me on (what I think was) a diuretic, which had the restriction of no prolonged exposure to sunlight. That's a bit of a problem, since my job requires me to work outside on a regular basis! I told the doctor I couldn't take it for that reason, and she agreed.

 

[rezinn]

I'm surprised you were put on a beta blocker first rather than a diuretic, but if it works and you feel better that's good. Atenolol is a beta1 selective blocker, so it decreases your heart rate, force of contraction, and the speed which impulses move through your heart. It'll also block the production of a hormone from the kidney but it isn't important therapeutically unless you've got severe hypertension.

You'll read that there is no evidence atenolol is better than placebo as far as extending life, it's usually just used to relieve chest pain.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: rezinn
I'm surprised you were put on a beta blocker first rather than a diuretic, but if it works and you feel better that's good. Atenolol is a beta1 selective blocker, so it decreases your heart rate, force of contraction, and the speed which impulses move through your heart. It'll also block the production of a hormone from the kidney but it isn't important therapeutically unless you've got severe hypertension.

You'll read that there is no evidence atenolol is better than placebo as far as extending life, it's usually just used to relieve chest pain.

Good thing you're not an MD or a pharmacist.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: chin311
im wondering if i have high blood pressure

i eat badly, my dad has high blood pressure.

every time i visit a walmart or something i visit the machine and its usually anywhere from 130/90 to 150/90...bad aye? but idk how accurate those are

Those machines are worthless. They get so much use, and people just testing them for the heck of it. Unless you are testing yourself immediately after it was calibrated, see a real doctor. And even if you did test right after calibration, still see a real doctor.

 

[Tius83]

Hmmm, 25 and on a beta-blocker? Did he mention anything else about heart disease such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? I'm suprised too why your doctor didn't start you on a diuretic first such as hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg daily first. Usually that's the first line drug as studies indicate that a maximum dose of HCTZ 25 mg daily has as much efficacy as any other single drug out there, its cheap and it has pretty low side effects. Anyways, back to your question, beta-blockers are usually pretty well tolerated drugs, depending on the dosage. On higher dosages, which are usually slowly titrated up, some sideeffects can be dizziness, fatigue, lightheadedness, and in rare cases of diabetes, they can mask signs of diabetic ketoacidosis. For asthma, beta-blockers may also prevent broncholdilation, which possibly worsen the symptoms. however, its generally agreed that as far as diabetes and asthma, the benefits of beta-blockers outweight the risks. But as far as the benefits, beta-blockers have show to affect the cardiac remodeling that occurs due to prolonged hypertension, which may slow down heart failure.

 

[funboy6942]

In most cases just changing they way you eat will bring it back to "normal".
I used to be really high, 180/115 at rest, now Im almost off all the pills and im at 120/85, and thats with no working out, because I cant, not that I dont want to.

The last number is the one you need to be concerned of, anything over 90 is mild, and over 100 is mega bad, where I was at, I was a walking time bomb, or rolling time bomb if you like to be techie about it. The first number really isnt to much of a cause of concern at all.
But id say watch what you eat, and that may do it for you, even my type II is non existent and im living proof of it.