Meds question - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

Sister · 04-15-2005, 01:43 AM

My friend takes 40mg. Lisinopril and 50mg. Metoprolol a day. Is this considered a high amount of hypertension meds? Thank you if you know.

zuzu8 · 04-16-2005, 02:39 PM

The initial dose for lisinopril is often 10mg which is pretty low. Depending on response, the usual dosage range is 20mg-40mg.

The initial dose for regular Metoprolol or Extended Release Metoprolol is 100 mg, so 50 mg is considered a relatively low dose.

It's not unusual at all for people to be taking both simultaneously.

Is your friend doing well on this combo?

zuzu xx

Sister · 04-16-2005, 03:35 PM

Thank you for the info. He just started the beta blocker two days ago, but I am worried because I think beta-blockers are old-fashioned and the newer meds are much better as far as bad side-effects are concerned. Is this correct? Are they called "statins?" Beta-blockers seem to have terrible side-effects. My friend doesn't like his doctor. I think he should get a new doctor. Also, this doctor is with the VA and probably doesn't give out the good meds because the VA doesn't want to pay for it. JMO tho. We need some good information from this board on what meds to try and what to do. THANK YOU!!

pal7778 · 04-17-2005, 12:39 PM

There's a lot of controversy about beta blockers on this board. So use the
archives and all that. Some people seem to live well with them, but plenty
don't. And this weaning thing scares me.

zuzu8 · 04-17-2005, 02:11 PM

Sister,

The statins are not beta blockers and are for high cholesterol.

My personal opinion is that beta blockade should be reserved for people who have concomitant angina or heart disease. It's not that beta blockers don't control hypertension, it's just that they seem rife with side effects...fatigue, depression and exercise intolerance being very common.

However, lot's of people do very well on them with no problems. It's a very individual thing.

A good combo to try if your friend has any adverse reactions on the betas, is instead, to add a thiazide diuretic to the lisinopril.

zuzu xx