What Causes High Blood Pressure Despite Taking Amlodipine?

Posted on Sat, 2 Jan 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 2 Jan 2016 Answered on

Mon, 25 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : When I take my blood pressure in the morning my blood pressure goes up and by the end of the day my pressure is at a normal level. I decided today to take half in in morning (thinking it wouldn't go so high after taking), and the other half in the evening. Both times my pressure went up after taking. I'm taking 10 mg of amlodipine.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Blood pressure figures; carvedilol higher dosage

Detailed Answer:
Hello, madame, and thank you for your question. Welcome to Health Care Magic. I understand your concern.

I will start my answer by saying a few things about high blood pressure. Based on your age, the goal is that blood pressure figure are kept under 140/90 mmHg. This is done because higher figures than these, when constant and long-standing, can be harmful for arterial systems in the body, especially those organs that have smaller arteries that supply them with oxygen and nutritional supplies. Also, great contributors to increased blood pressure are: excessive physical activity, psychological stress, hormonal changes, caffeine-containing beverages, alcohol etc. All these factors can "help" raising the blood pressure.

However, I would recommend you to divide the dosage of amlodipin into two halves: one in the morning and one in the evening. Also, I would recommend you to increase the dosage of carvedilol. If you are currently taking 3.125 mg overall, I recommend to add another 3.125 mg in the evening. I think this will suffice in controlling your blood pressure figures and, simultaneously, providing a better span and coverage with anti-hypertensives within a day.

I hope this is helpful. If you have follow-up questions, I would be happy to help. Please rate my answer, if you do not. Wish you a great health.

Best regards,
Dr. Meriton

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (11 hours later)

The other medications previously taken asked for in the questionnaire all had adverse side effects including carvedilol...I am no longer taking any of them.

In the original question I stated I was already taking half the medication in the morning and half in the evening. The problem is why does my blood pressure GO UP AFTER TAKING THE MEDICATION. For example, I took my blood pressure yesterday evening BEFORE taking my medication and it was 135/90. An hour after I took the medication it was 159/100. No smoking, no exercise or drinking. It just goes up after taking my medication.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Welcome back

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

I was keen to using carvedilol because it provides good blood pressure control. However, it is wise to discontinue any drug, if it is accompanied with side effects. The physiological states I mentioned in the original answer still stand. If there is a worry that your blood pressure will go up, it will eventually go up, due to stress-induced adrenalin release in your system. As I said, blood pressure is a very ondulating parameter of the body, and we cannot decide if it is high or low, based only in sporadic measurings. Therefore, I recommend you to be put on a 24-hour blood pressure monitor, to see how this parameter "behaves" throughout 24 hours. It is only after this test is carried out, when I would feel safe to add another drug to your therapy or say "you are fine with the current medical regimen".

I hope this is helpful. Wish you a good health. If you do not have follow-up question, close the discussion and rate the answer.

Best regards,
Dr. Meriton

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

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar