My bp was 158/108, and my doctor prescribed 25mg lopressor at first, then he said if that's not enough, 50, then a 100. Then he told me I'd be on bp meds for the rest of my life. I eventually did go to a 100, and i've been screwed ever since then.
In retrospect, I think Docs try to make pts into bp med junkies, in order to increase the profits of the pharmacy companies. I had no education about meds, rebound effect, or beta-blockers versus milder meds. I've had problems ever since. <edited> Beware.
Last edited by mod-anon; 03-26-2010 at 08:16 PM.
Reason: Watch your language on the Boards.
Re: I was 38 and my doctor game me a beta-blocker.
Mariposa,
Beta blockers have been in use for high blood pressure for more than 25 years. But Jonnstar is absolutely right regarding beta blockers no longer being prescribed as 1st drug of choice if you have uncomplicated high blood pressure.
The Joint National Committee 7 hypertension treatment guidelines no longer recommend beta blockers as one of five first-line therapy options unless you've had a previous heart attack, have heart failure, have certain heart arrhythmias, or stable angina.... Their use for uncomplicated hypertension has fallen out of favor especially since the COCHRANE TRIALS in 2007 where there were 13 trials that compared beta blockers with placebo, diuretics, ARBS, calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors.
When the beta-blocker arms were compared with placebo, there was NO BENEFIT as to whether the former reduced mortality rate. In fact they noted that there was actually an increase in cardiovascular disease and stroke in those taking the betas as opposed to those taking calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors.
ALSO beta blockers seem to cause an inordinate amount of side effects compared to other anti-hypertensive meds. Obviously not in everyone but side effects were statistically higher in the beta group.
You should also know that since '07 the European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology ALSO stopped endorsing beta-blockers in patients with uncomplicated hypertension.
So, that said, please talk to your doctor. Barring any of the heart issues I mentioned above, there are other options for you out there!
