Re: Should I be taking Atenolol as first treatment for HBP (42 year old WM) ???
- From: "TechGroup" <gmwemail-dsp@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 06:43:04 GMT
I'm a 58-year old male (5'11", 170 lbs, athletic) and have been on 100mg
Atenolol for mild hypertension daily for years. No side effects that I'm
aware of. It has had the added effect of reducing my pulse rate
significantly. That was never a problem before, but less wear and tear
can't hurt.
"Cardioguy" <Cardio@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4601BFC8.6A9C8189@xxxxxxxxxxx
I'm a white male, age 42. In several health-related settings in the
past few years I've been told that my blood pressure is on the high
side and I should have it looked at. I'm a non-smoker (have never
smoked), 6ft/210 lbs, sporadic drinker (probably average 1 or 2 drinks
per week). Past cholesteral tests have been unremarkable.
Because I basically have no health problems, and because I live in
Ontario where there is a general shortage of family doctors, I haven't
until a few months ago been able to get myself into a family practice
that was accepting new patients. My first encounter with the doctor
was for a general physical exam, which I had recently, and which
included a standard blood pressure reading that was performed first by
a nurse/assistant and then again later on by the doctor. As I sort of
expected, the readings were high, I believe 145+ over 95+ (or possibly
150+ over 100+). I don't think this was "white coat" syndrome as I
wasn't particulary nervous.
At home, I have a "Life Source" battery-powered automatic pressure
cuff I keep beside my bed and sometimes before I get up in the morning
I will take a pressure measurement and the morning of the medical exam
it read 120/71, pulse 65 - which is typical for a morning reading.
As I am typing this (after a day at work) I've measured by BP several
times, and indeed I get readings of around 160 / 95, pulse 70. I work
in the health/science industry and I know that unless I've just run
the 100 meter dash that my resting BP shouldn't be that high. My
father is in his early 70's and is not on, and has never been on HBP
medication, but my mother is and has been for the better part of 30
years.
So my doctor prescribed a course of Atenolol for me (50 mg, 30
pills). Remember, my doctor doesn't know a whole lot about me at this
point so I don't necessarily consider that she knows any more about
what is best for me than what I could read on the net. She's also
probably also younger than I am.
This would be the first medication in my life (besides the occasional
anti-biotic or pain killer) that I've ever been prescribed for an
apparent long-term condition.
Anyways, when I get home, I read about Atenolol, and one thing in
particular concerns me. It apparently is no longer (as of June 2006)
considered a first-line (or second, or third?) drug for HBP
treatment. What concerns me the most is that it is deemed to be an
unacceptible risk for promoting or triggering diabetes. My mother was
diagnosed with a mild form of adult diabetes 2 years ago (at age 65,
which is treated with a pill - not injectible insulin at this point)
so naturally I'm thinking that I might be pre-disposed to it as well,
and this Atenolol does not seem like a good idea, given that other
(better) drugs exist.
So, should I even crack open the Atenolol pill bottle? Am I justified
in asking my doctor to prescribe me a different drug?
(please post any response, as my e-mail is bogus for spam-avoidance
purposes)
.
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