propranolol

[Harrythmia]

I would be interested to hear peoples experience taking propranolol for anxiety-induced high systolic BP. I am already on 3 different BP medications including a diuretic but my BP is still not under satisfactory control so the addition of a beta blocker is being considered. I’m not sure if adding propranolol will have any effect in lowering my BP - in particular my systolic readings which seems to be the main issue for me. I know that beta blockers can have unpleasant side effects. But do they work ?

[Ademide]

I think anxiety induced blood pressure issues are just quite difficult to bring down..I have similar issue as yours...my advice is that you work on your anxiety particularly then the drugs would work better

[Harrythmia in reply to Ademide]

Yes I agree trying to reduce anxiety is key though difficult for most of us. Thank you for your reply.

[Responsable]

Hi, Harry!

The two of us seem to be in a very similar situation... My resting HR is very low, about 48 bpm during most of my life. Since the age of 55 (72 now), I have bouts of AF, mostly at night, with almost no symptoms. My BP is increased, lately about 170/70, so have the same doubts as you, about what's happening ... I am on no medication, both for AF and for HBP, so the influence of the drugs may be considered as excluded. I am not from the field of medicine, but from technical field, and have been dealing with hydraulics for decades in my job. Here is how I understand my case. If you have been taking medications, your situation may be somewhat different.

As the first, low resting HR means that the "pump" is doing its task very well, being able to supply the body with enough blood flowrate at "low RPM". If such, powerful pump, is supplying fluid into a stiff pipeline, in cycles, then every pumping out will give a pressure peak, pretty high (systolic pressure). What happens next, depends on the following.

In order that the pressure drops very quickly, to the low diastolic value, we must have very "clean" capillary vessels, which makes it possible to evacuate the fluid and to release system pressure, what is not very likely. The other possibility is that the aortic valve is not closing properly, so, despite a large fluid output in every cycle, there is a significant regurgitation (blood flowing backwards), through the damaged aortic valve, so the pressure falls down that way. For me, it is more probable situation.

Like many people here, I was an exercise fan when I was young (expander with springs and weights). Lately, starting from about 60 yo, I avoid the exercise as such, being physically loaded only while performing tasks about the house. If I overdo things, I have an arrhythmia bout which may last for half a day, coming back, to normal, from itself.

Apologies for the lengthy comment!

[Harrythmia in reply to Responsable]

Thank you for this. Very interesting It's good you have managed without medications and continue to do so. A BP of 170/70 seems a bit high tho

[Responsable in reply to Harrythmia]

Who has said that it is dangerous? Drug producers? Not buying this. Not very long ago, the rule was 100+age, what in my case is 100+72=172. Drugs are killing more people than disease!

[Coalman1104]

Hi good morning

I add bisoprolol added to my blood pressure meds in 2023.

I monitor my BP at home and record my readings in a daily log that I found on the British heart foundation website.

I can personally say that when I look back at past readings (home monitor and GP) there has been a definite improvement based on 1.25mg daily

[Harrythmia in reply to Coalman1104]

Thanks. good to know bisoprolol is working well for you. I will look into that with GP. I think anxiety is the cause of my spikes in BP and HR which come and go. A suitable beta blocker seems to help with both