high blood pressure and bad cholesterol

[gertielongbum]

Hi everyone I recently spent the night at the hospital. I was having pains in my neck and it hurt to just move my head so I went to the walk in clinic. I was there for almost an hour when I started to get really dizzy. I told the nurse I didn't feel good and I thought I was going to pass out. She put me on a bed and took my blood pressure. It was 200/100. Shortly after the chest pains started. The doctor came to check me out and the results were the same. Only he also checked my blood pressure in the other arm and it was 190/80. He said I had hyper reflexes. He sent me to the hospital. My resting heart rate was 102. They gave me aspirin then nitroglycerin. Started an IV for meds to lower the blood pressure. They also gave me morphine for my massive headache. I was released the next morning. Blood tests showed my HDL was .78, LDL was 4.78, trigs 2.23. My doctor now has me on metoprolol and crestor. He doctor doesn't seem too concerned. He also doesn't believe the cholesterol numbers had anything to do with the angina pain. I had a brain scan done today and have to wait for the results. Should I have this blood pressure and chest pain checked out more? My grandparents died at the ages of 50 and 51. Their other son also died at the age of 48 from massive heart attacks. I didn't really know them. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[BlueIsland]

Why a brain scan??? What does the brain have to do with HBP? They are probably doing that, because of your pains in your neck+, but how does the brain deal with HBP?

[zuzu8]

Gertie-
Wait until the results of the brain scan come through....if all is clear, then I would seek out a cardiologist to discuss the hypertension and chest pain. I don't think your doctor should be so dismissive of the latter. If you like your doc, tell him you would like to be referred for an echocardiogram and stress test, just to make sure your heart is perfectly healthy.
Chances are you are okay, but with hypertension and cholesterol issues, and given that heart disease killed some of your family at a very young age, you are at higher risk than normal, and it's better to be safe than sorry.


zuzu xx



[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 09-30-2003).]

[gertielongbum]

Sorry guys I guess I didn't relay enough info. I also am having other symptoms besides these. My left eye is losing vision field in the center and was told I had optic neuritis. My thyroid is a little low the doc said. They are just checking to make sure everything is ok there I guess with no tumors. I have massive headaches and have been having severe vomiting attacks that last about 3 hours non stop.
When I was in the hospital they hooked me up to some machine that read my heart, then they tore off a piece of paper, maybe it was an ECG. It only took a minute or so. What is an echocardiogram? Is this maybe the same thing I had done? thanks again for all your responses. It is nice to be able to talk to some other people who have been through all this. It is a little scary when all this first happens and you don't know much.