What type of high blood pressure medication would be best to combine with a low dosage of beta blocker?
I recently started taking medication for high blood pressure. My doctor prescribed a beta blocker and a diuretic. However, I am not tolerating the diuretic and was wondering what other types of medication would be effective in a combined therapy with a low dosage of a beta blocker.
You have two more options among the first line antihypertensive medications. Your doctor can either place you an an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril, or a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine. The choice depends on your other medical problems. For example, if you are a diabetic, lisinopril would be better for its kidney protection effects; if you like to excercise a lot, amlodipine would be better since it does not bottom out the blood pressure during excercise, etc. What you should avoid is non-dydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem, which tend to slow down the heart and, combined with the beta blocker, could lead to the heart rate that is too slow.
Hope that helps,
Haslo
December 1st, 2009 at 2:11 am
What do you mean "not tolerating"?
Beta blockers and diuretics are the most common treatments for primary hypertension. I personally am a bigger fan of beta blockers than diuretics, but the literature does back up your doctor’s position.
If you’re blood pressure is manageable with just the beta-blocker, it’s possible that you and your physician could try discontinuing the diuretic.
It sounds to me like you really need to be having this conversation with your doctor.
God bless.
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Paramedic
December 1st, 2009 at 2:22 am
You have two more options among the first line antihypertensive medications. Your doctor can either place you an an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril, or a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine. The choice depends on your other medical problems. For example, if you are a diabetic, lisinopril would be better for its kidney protection effects; if you like to excercise a lot, amlodipine would be better since it does not bottom out the blood pressure during excercise, etc. What you should avoid is non-dydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem, which tend to slow down the heart and, combined with the beta blocker, could lead to the heart rate that is too slow.
Hope that helps,
Haslo
References :
December 1st, 2009 at 2:29 am
There are several options. Agree an Ace inhibitor or an ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker) are probably the best choices as they have few side effects. Which Beta blocker are you on. Atenolol and metoprolol are less effective and less well tolerated than carvedilol. The dihydropyridine class of calcium channel blockers frequently cause swelling. Alpha blockers are usually good…cardura or hytrin.
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December 1st, 2009 at 3:15 am
Hi – I took a low dose of a beta blocker ( carvedilol) along with a calcium channel blocker (verapamil). Eventually I stopped the carvedilol and now just take a dose of the verapamil twice a day. It has worked well for me where ARBs and diuretics did nothing. (Actually, I developed drug-induced lupus from the ARB, a rare side effect). Might want to give verapamil a try.
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December 1st, 2009 at 3:59 am
I was previously on a regular beta-blocker and also an ACE inhibitor that was a combination drug with a diuretic in it…I tolerated this well and it gave me good control over my BP.
What do you mean by you are not tolerating the diuretic?…and how do you know thats the cause of your problem?
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