Bisoprolol hctz

Jade, if you have only Blood pressure problems and no other heart related problems, you shouldn't be taking Beta blockers.

In the past, Beta blockers were the first choice both for a treatment of a high blood pressure and for all types of heart related problems, but in the last few years Beta blockers are the 3rd or the 4th choice in a treatment of a high blood pressure.

You can Google about 1st choice drugs for high blood pressure in recent years.

Anyway, if you don't have any other medical problems and if you are taking ONLY Bisoprolol (and not 2-3 different drugs for a high blood pressure) then imo, you should ask your doc for a different type of drugs (not Beta blockers).

Here are some articles about Beta blockers used in hypertension in the recent era:

1. London, UK - New UK recommendations for the treatment of hypertension have been published that no longer include beta blockers as first-line or even second- or third-line drugs for patients with uncomplicated hypertension. Beta blockers are, however, still recommended for patients who also have CHD.

2. In the past 4 decades, beta blockers (BBs) have been widely used in the treatment of uncomplicated hypertension and are still recommended as first-line agents in national and international guidelines. Their putative cardioprotective properties, however, derive from the extrapolation into primary prevention of data relative to the reduction of mortality observed in the 1970s in patients with previous myocardial infarctions. In the past 5 years, a critical reanalysis of older trials, together with several meta-analyses, has shown that in patients with uncomplicated hypertension BBs exert a relatively weak effect in reducing stroke compared to placebo or no treatment, do not have any protective effect with regard to coronary artery disease and, compared to other drugs, such as calcium channel blockers, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors or thiazide diuretics, show evidence of worse outcomes, particularly with regard to stroke. Several reasons can explain their reduced cardioprotection: their suboptimal effect in lowering blood pressure compared to other drugs; their "pseudoantihypertensive" efficacy (failure to lower central aortic pressure); their undesirable adverse effects, which reduce patients' compliance; their unfavorable metabolic effects; their lack of an effect on regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and endothelial dysfunction. In conclusion, the available evidence does not support the use of BBs as first-line drugs in the treatment of hypertension. Whether newer BBs, such as nebivolol and carvedilol, which show vasodilatory properties and a more favorable hemodynamic and metabolic profile, will be more efficacious in reducing morbidity and mortality remains to be determined.

3. Beta-blocker drugs such as Tenormin (atenolol), Inderal (propranolol) and Lopressor (metoprolol) should not be a doctor’s first choice for treating high blood pressure, according to a major review of studies.

The research, details of which appear in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library and carried out by The Cochrane Collaboration, found that patients on beta-blockers had a higher risk of death and cardiovascular disease than

patients who used calcium channel blockers such as Norvasc (amlodipine) and Cardizem (diltiazem) to manage their blood pressure. The review also found that patients who took diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide or RAS inhibitors, such as Altace (ramipril), and Cozaar (losartan), had risks similar to those taking beta-blockers.

Dr Charles Shey Wiysonge of the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon, who led the new review, said that “the available evidence does not support the use of beta-blockers as first-line drugs in the treatment of hypertension”. He added that the latest Cochrane review of beta-blockers was different from other recent studies because it compared beta-blockers head-to-head against specific antihypertensive medications, rather than comparing them against all other high blood pressure medicines as a group.

After combing through 13 studies of 91,561 patients, Dr Wiysonge and colleagues found no difference in the risk of death or cardiovascular disease among those who used beta-blockers, diuretics and RAS inhibitor drugs.

However, the absolute risk of death was a half a per cent greater among beta-blocker users compared to those taking calcium channel blockers.

In addition, patients taking beta-blockers had a 1.3% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease, mostly strokes, compared to those taking calcium channel blockers. Dr Wiysonge also noted that “patients who used beta-blockers were more likely to experience undesirable effects and abandon their antihypertension medications” compared to patients who took diuretics or RAS inhibitors.

In January this year, a review of 22 studies published in The Lancetsuggested another downside to using beta-blockers to treat high blood pressure. Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago concluded that diuretics and beta-blocker treatments may increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Lead author Dr William Elliott said antihypertensive drugs such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers — types of RAS drugs — were associated with the lowest risk of developing diabetes.

Some time ago I asked my GP if I could try a lower dosage of the Bisoprolol. He said I could but, doing that would make my heart race so, chose not to.

Nasty drug!!!!I was on it for 3 months.  I felt like I could not get off the sofa.  Like a zombie.  My hands and feet were so cold, and my heart rate and blood pressure were so low.

And then there was the stopping of it to have an ablation.  I was told it was okay to just stop.   Well, it was not

I had huge withrawal.   A nightmare!!!!!.

I was started on 2.5 a few weeks ago in the hospital for irregular heartbeat. I was back in a&e a week later and requested to go down to 1.25 which is still leaving me floored. Sleeping a lot in the mornings which i never do and weird vivid dreams. Also quite dizzy anytime i exert myself

Been reading all these side effects and when I next see my cardiologist will suggest stopping this drug , only taking 1.25 half what was prescribed . Must say no real side effect but some days feel very tired and weird . Must be the drug , I’m on it for ectopics , too many , they have stopped I think and feel less anxious , but may just wean off them and see how I feel because don’t want permanent problems . I wouldn’t want to be taking them just for blood pressure , so I would definitely be questioning that . Funny some days I’m fine , anyone found if you have alcohol you feel worse ? ie next day? I’m also on an ace inhibitor very low dose again 1.25 for blood pressure although really it wasn’t high ! Just because I had mitral valve repair they seem to think the betas will give my heart a rest!