High Pulse due to Benicar?

[Daisy37]

I've been having a problem with low potassium levels so my doctor took me off Atenolol, she said it was a known cause of the problem, and put me on Benicar HCT. I've been taking them for 3 days now and while my blood pressure is lower than it ever was on Atenolol (usually 110-115/65-75) my pulse rate has gone thru the roof. It's running 85 to 105 resting. Does anyone know if this might be due to just switching off the Atenolol without weaning or could be be caused from the Benicar. When the doctor put me on it, she said I more than likely would not experience any side effects because I've been in blood pressure medicine for years.

[GEORGEP]

I started taking Benicar HCT 40/25 a few months ago. I was taking Diovan for 3 years but it stopped working and my numbers were rising. The first few days after starting on the Benicar I had very low blood pressure...85/60 and my pulse rate was high ---85. My resting pulse rate was in the 50's before. Now that I have adjusted to the Benicar my average blood pressure readings are 115/75 and my pulse rate is much lower again. I still get very low readings after aerobic exericise for hours but I think it may be caused by sweating and that may be due to the diuretic that is in the medication. I would check with your doctor. My doctor said as long as I don't feel tired then the lower the readings the better. Last night my blood pressure was 88/65 but I had exercised vigorously on my treadmill for 40 minutes and sweat was pouring off of me. I should probably make sure I drink a lot of water before and during exercise.

[brutus77]

I've tried a couple of times to switch to Benecar from Accupril. I've been on Accupril for years. Benecar makes me extremely tired. So much so it's a struggle to get out of bed and go to work. Also after 5 or 6 weeks I developed unbearable joint pain. I can't say that I have ever experienced rapid heart beat with Benecar but the side effects have ruled it out for me. I meet more new acquaintances all the time that are being treated for high BP with medication. I wish that I had maintained a reasonable weight and never started meds..

[Daisy37]

Amen Brutus. I hate that I have to take medicine for anything. Mines not due to a weight problem, so don't blame it all on that. My entire family has high blood pressure. Any way I'm calling the doctor today, I think I've given this reasonable time to drop & it hasn't. Hate to give them up though because they are controlling my bloodpressure better than the other stuff has. And it might be because I got a couple high readings that I go into panic mode anytime I attempt to take it,but I can't take that chance - a constant at rest pulse beat of 103-108 probably isn't good for you.