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What Causes High Blood Pressure And Fluttery Feeling In The Chest?

Posted on Fri, 16 Jun 2017

Question: MY BLOOD PESSUR RISES WHEN I AM ASLEEP AND IT WAKES ME UP WHITH A FLUTTERING FEELING IN MY CHESST. AFTER I GET UP AND SIT IN A CHAIR THE PRESSURE GOES DOWN.

Answered by Dr. Dr Sameer Maheshwari (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please tell the bp range

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome.
This is Dr Sameer, cardiologist.
I can see that you are taking a lot of bp medications & still your bp rises in the night.
Please tell the range of bp in the morning & till how much it rises in the night.
It can happen to patients & is generally associated with decreased sleep. So please tell all these things so that i can guide you further.
One other thing is about clonidine, which we do not consider a good drug. It controlls bp well but if stopped it can cause paradoxical rise in bp. So we try to avoid it. Their are many other good drugs which can replace it for you.
Also let me know the timing when you are taking the above drugs.
Waiting for the reply.
Thanks & take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Dr Sameer Maheshwari (24 hours later)

Thank you for your report.. Here is additional information. BP meds are taken about 8:30 PM. Usually I wake about 4:00AM with the fluttering feeling. BP at this time is in the range of 160/85, pulse 80. When I get up the BP returns to a good point of about 122/69, pulse is faster 90 or so.

I have not taken clonidine for about a week. When I stopped the medication my BP went quite high and I was told to double the losartan/HCTZ..

Would sleep studies be of value? My fitbit indicates quite a few awake and restless times.

Answered by Dr. Dr Sameer Maheshwari (22 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You need to wear a holter

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Fluttering feeling can be because of some arrhythmia which can cause sleep loss, anxiety and increase of bp. So you should go through a 24hr ECG monitoring called holter monitoring to diagnose any arrhythmia.
Sleep study is used to diagnose Obstructive Sleep Dyspnea. Its symptoms are frequent loss of sleep during night, sleepiness during daytime, excess snoring. If you have any of these symptoms you can go through Sleep Study too.
Continue taking same medication till than.
All the best & get well soon.
Thanks & take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Dr Sameer Maheshwari (26 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX Maheshwari for all of your information. I have been searching for this information for a very long time.. I will pursue the holter test .

Answered by Dr. Dr Sameer Maheshwari (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Welcome

Detailed Answer:
Welcome & thanks for the kind words.
Hope you get well very soon.
If you have any question in future, I'll be happy to help.
Thanks & take care

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T