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Using Calcium Blocker To Control Blood Pressure. BP Drops Sometimes. Was Using Ace Inhibitor And Bystolic. Suggest The Medication To Control BP?
Question: My doctor can't seem to get my blood pressure under control without using a calcium blocker, but the calcium blocker seems to make my blood pressure drop suddenly on occasion. It is worse in the morning when I first rise out of bed, there have been times I had to lay back down or simply pass out. I had to stay that way a couple of times for a long time before I could actually get up without wanting to pass out. It doesn't seem like there is an answer to lowering my blood pressure without it. Not sure if I should see a specialist? My Blood pressure had gotten up to 199/104 before she put me back on the calcium blocker. I was taking an ace inhibitor but it didn't control it until she put me back on the other one to. Also she tried bystolic to lower heart rate, but that didn't work either had a heart rate of about 50 - 55 but my blood pressure wouldn't come down.
Hello ma'am.
I understand this can be frustrating, but please understand that there is no hard and fast rule to treat hypertension; hypertension treatment is always individual-specific, and not condition-specific. This means that each individual will experience a totally different response to one particular medication than another individual.
Your doctor can choose from any of the following group of drugs that successfully help in blood pressure control:
-Beta blockers (eg. atenolol, bisoprolol, acebutolol, etc.
-Angiotension II receptor blockers (eg. telmisartan, valsartan, etc.)
-Diuretics (eg. hydrochlorothiazide)
-Sympatholytic drugs (eg. prazosin)
-Calcium channel blockers
-Combination of drugs from two groups
In my opinion, I would advice a particular combination of drugs with which I have achieved good response, this is the combination of valsartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker) and hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic). I would request you to discuss the possibility of including this particular combination in your treatment regimen, with your doctor. Please be patient, I am sure your doctor will find the right medication or combination of drugs to successfully control your hypertension.
Wishing you lots of luck.
Take care.
I understand this can be frustrating, but please understand that there is no hard and fast rule to treat hypertension; hypertension treatment is always individual-specific, and not condition-specific. This means that each individual will experience a totally different response to one particular medication than another individual.
Your doctor can choose from any of the following group of drugs that successfully help in blood pressure control:
-Beta blockers (eg. atenolol, bisoprolol, acebutolol, etc.
-Angiotension II receptor blockers (eg. telmisartan, valsartan, etc.)
-Diuretics (eg. hydrochlorothiazide)
-Sympatholytic drugs (eg. prazosin)
-Calcium channel blockers
-Combination of drugs from two groups
In my opinion, I would advice a particular combination of drugs with which I have achieved good response, this is the combination of valsartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker) and hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic). I would request you to discuss the possibility of including this particular combination in your treatment regimen, with your doctor. Please be patient, I am sure your doctor will find the right medication or combination of drugs to successfully control your hypertension.
Wishing you lots of luck.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Mohammed Kappan
I cannot take hydrochlorothiazide because I am allergic to Sulfa drugs. I am currently on a angiotension ll receptor and a calcium channel block. It is the Calcium Channel Blocker that is causing me problems with the blood pressure dropping when standing up. But that seems to be the only thing that will lower my blood pressure. She has tried Losartan, lisinopril, none of them work unless I take the Calcium Channel Blocker with it. Beta Blockers lower my heart rate but not my blood pressure.
Hello once again XXXXXXX
It is sad that you have a sulfa allergy, as most of the diuretics used to control hypertension contain sulfa.
The next step would be to analyse the dosage of the calcium channel blocker advised to you, and reduce it to a lower amount, to avoid such a presentation. But the main aspect of your query here is what we call postural/orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure with change in position; i.e. supine to sitting, sitting to standing, etc.), which is what you are experiencing.
A drug called midodrine is used to raise standing blood pressure, which might help you. This medication can be tried, but before medication, patients with orthostatic hypotension are first advised lifestyle modifications (stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol, exercises to strengthen calf muscles, low salt diet, etc.) and compression stockings which prevent pooling of blood in the legs that can cause the drop in blood pressure while standing.
I hope you found this information helpful. Please feel free to write back with any further clarifications, and/or more information with which I could further assist you.
Take care XXXXXXX
It is sad that you have a sulfa allergy, as most of the diuretics used to control hypertension contain sulfa.
The next step would be to analyse the dosage of the calcium channel blocker advised to you, and reduce it to a lower amount, to avoid such a presentation. But the main aspect of your query here is what we call postural/orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure with change in position; i.e. supine to sitting, sitting to standing, etc.), which is what you are experiencing.
A drug called midodrine is used to raise standing blood pressure, which might help you. This medication can be tried, but before medication, patients with orthostatic hypotension are first advised lifestyle modifications (stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol, exercises to strengthen calf muscles, low salt diet, etc.) and compression stockings which prevent pooling of blood in the legs that can cause the drop in blood pressure while standing.
I hope you found this information helpful. Please feel free to write back with any further clarifications, and/or more information with which I could further assist you.
Take care XXXXXXX
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Mohammed Kappan
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