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Suggest Treatment For Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Question: I had hypertension for years that was controlled with meds. Last year I lost 55 lbs (yay me!) and my blood pressure became normal; I went down to only taking amlodipine 5 mg QD. It's been 7 months since I've been off the diet. I have only gained back about 5 lbs, but my blood pressure is elevated to > 150 mm Hg systolic; diastolic bounces between 70-90 over days. My doctor keeps trying new antihypertensives but she is doing so very slowly, like a new one every 4-5 weeks. It hasn't been working and I have headaches all the time, i feel like my head is going to explode with pressure and I am retaining fluid in my extremities. Are there any good, strong antihypertensives you can recommend? Do you think the return of hypertension is related to the 5 lbs I regained? I am a white female, aged 56 yrs with no other real health problems (asthma; allergies). Thank you for any insight you can provide.
Brief Answer:
There is a need of treatment corrections
Detailed Answer:
Dear Mrs,
If a patient develops arterial hypertension it means that person's organism lost the ability to control blood pressure. With the proper diet, weight loss and healthy lifestyle the ability of regulating the blood pressure can be restored, but when a patient quite healthy lifestyle, the organism again cannot maintain normal blood pressure, so it is not only a little wait gain, but also diet.
If you have lower extremities' edemas, they can be caused by amlodipin.
If you were my patient I would decrease amlodipine dosage , add a diuretic and try to increase benazepril dose (the other component in lotrel), or change it.
Hope this was helpful
Wishing you good health
In case of further questions don't hesitate to ask
Regards,
There is a need of treatment corrections
Detailed Answer:
Dear Mrs,
If a patient develops arterial hypertension it means that person's organism lost the ability to control blood pressure. With the proper diet, weight loss and healthy lifestyle the ability of regulating the blood pressure can be restored, but when a patient quite healthy lifestyle, the organism again cannot maintain normal blood pressure, so it is not only a little wait gain, but also diet.
If you have lower extremities' edemas, they can be caused by amlodipin.
If you were my patient I would decrease amlodipine dosage , add a diuretic and try to increase benazepril dose (the other component in lotrel), or change it.
Hope this was helpful
Wishing you good health
In case of further questions don't hesitate to ask
Regards,
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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