Hello and thank you for using HCM.I carefully read your question and I understand your concern. I will try to explain you something and give you my opinion. You should know that we talk about hypertension if we have mean value that exceeds 140 / 90 mmHg.A person might have high value during emotional and physical strees so its mandatory to judge on mean values during day and night. Hypertension is divided into two groups. Essential hypertension is a chronic disease, whithout an identified cause and it should be treated all live long. Secondary hypertension is common in younger ages and it means that it has a secondary couse of it.This might be a renal disease, an endocrine problem or a cardiovascular anomaly. So, if your doctor has previously prescribed you blood pressure medication than they probably has diagnosed you whith esencial hypertension meaning that you should treat it live long. In this moment, as you have been whithout treatment for a long time, if I was your treating doctor I would recommend some examination like a cardiac echo to evaluate heart function and walls, a full blood analyze to chek renal function, electrolyte and a preassure holter monitoring to evaluate your values during day and night. After all this we can better judge what is the most adapt drug for you now, atenolol or another class, because treating your blood pressure is mandatory. Hope I was helpfull. Best regards, Dr.Ervina.