Still can't get my now 17 year old son's BP down to normal for his age. Saw another specialist this summer who said it would "be an interesting experiment" to try beta blockers. No cause of the high BP was ever found - this doctor feels my son's system is "hyperdynamic" and could benefit from beta blockers. However, my son has had asthma since age 4, well controlled with inhalers (which are beta stimulants.) Anyone out there have asthma and ever try the newer beta blockers that are supposed to be more selective and less likely to affect the lungs?
(We have tried everything else. ACE gave horrible cough. Diovan alone wasn't enough. Added HCTZ, also didn't bring his BP down and diuretics are banned in college sports, which he hopes to play someday. Added Norvasc (CCB) with Diovan for 3 months and he developed new onset of migraines - headaches gone after Norvasc stopped. So now he is back to Diovan 320 mg alone. So we are about out of options.)

Sportmom- There are so many warnings and contraindications for beta blockers if one has asthma that if you decide to try this , coordination of efforts between physicians is extremely important.You should have an asthma specialist AND your son's cardiologist/or GP consult each other on the best course of action in dealing with this. It's pretty risky if only one doctor is making this decision unless he happens to be a specialist in hypertension AND asthma.

What are the newer beta blockers the doctor was suggesting? Got any names?

zuzu xx



[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 10-02-2003).]