Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board High blood pressure concerns, anyone taking meds?

I recently started taking Beta blockers to slow the heart rate down which in turn lowers my high blood pressure. I'm in good shape but havent done any strenuous hikes since starting this stuff. I get dizzy when I stand up (fast) which is a common side effect. My question: is anyone taking this stuff who has done a Whitney or other 14,000 ft. altitude hikes? What were the effects if any? I am going up June 7th.It is more a concern of my wifes than mine but in all fairness she is part of this team so I want to put her at ease if possible.

The real issue is how YOU respond to this medication. In this day and age, one shouldn't have to take a blood pressure medication that causes side effects. You should discuss this with your doctor.

Beta Blockers are excellent medications in general, but they do have limitations, and they are not right for everyone.

I take beta blockers, currently Betapace. For me, it's not for high blood pressure but to control atrial fibrillation. The only adverse effect I notice is the lowered heart rate which, in turn, lowers my performance. Originally, my cardiologist prescribed the minimum effective (supposedly) dose, 80 mg twice daily. That limited my maximum HR to about 90 per minute. Since that isn't very good for mountain climbing, I convinced him to cut the dosage in half, although he wasn't pleased about it. But it allows my HR to get up to about 120.

On strenuous days, which includes most "up" days in the mountains, I skip the morning dose. This also makes my cardiologist unhappy.

I was taking a beta blocker (atenolol) on two of my Whitney hikes. Like Bob said, it limits your heart rate and thereby your cardiac output (i.e. you won't be setting any new speed records). The highest pulse I could force was around 135. It does provide a protective function, so just take it easy and you should be fine. Beta blockers should never be stopped abruptly because you will be at risk for spikes in blood pressure. As another poster alluded, you can work with your doctor to try other medications with less side effects such as simple diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, etc. I lost weight, increased exercise and was able to discontinue all medication, and my Whitney time dropped considerably. Good luck!

Spike, I just wanted a clarification. Were you able to get off your meds as a result of losing weight and increased exercise? I've been on HCTZ and an ACE inhibitor for the last three years after a lifetime of low BP, my doctor says because of family history. I'd love to do away with my meds and if you are a case of doing so by lifestyle modification, that's inspirational to me. I'd love to hear more about it!

MBob, I am a physician in general practice, and I've taken hundreds of patients off blood pressure meds, because of positive changes they've made in their lifestyles. Many hundreds more, a reduction in dosage or the number of medications.
*Some* people are very sensitive to salt, as well.

It is astonishing how much some people with high BP respond to a 10# weight loss.

Almost invariably, people who undertake a regular aerobic program have a fall in BP.

Mt.Bob,
Yes, it was through weight reduction and exercise. One interesting thing, though. As I started the program about 2 years ago, I was having trouble losing the weight at the rate I wanted because the beta blocker was blunting my exercise efforts. It was kind of a "catch-22" situation: I needed the med because my blood pressure was high; my blood pressure was high because my weight was high. I comprimised by slowly reducing dosage while increasing exercise and losing weight. There was a direct correlation between each pound loss and the lowering of the b.p. Now I run about 110/70 with a resting pulse in the high 40's to low 50's. Now, there are people who have functional defects other than hypertension (such as Bob R.) who must take these medications, but if your's is simply lifestyle (as mine was), you can improve your health immeasurably with some changes in the way you go about living. Good luck!

I have taken Lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) for 9 years now. At one point my doctor added a diuretic and this spurred some life style changes that made the additional medication unneccessary and allowed a reduction in the ACE inhibitor. I found myself slower at high altitude, but had fewer headaches which were the main altitude symptoms I have experienced. I have no experience with Beta Blockers.

Adrian

I have been fortunate to be able to climb Mt. Whitney 8 times in the last 10 years, all the while suffering from atrial fibrillation which was not diagnosed untill this last November. Since then my doctor has put on Betapace, to make my heart beat slower, Lanoxin, to make it beat stronger, Coumadin, to thin my blood, and Cardura, just for the fun of it. This summer I will be climbing the Mountain again, but this time while medicated. I am a little courious to see how I will do.

snokone
by the way I'm also on blood pressure pills and have hiked a few 14teeners in Co and my Doc tells me just use the pills like at home 630 ft above Sea level and the becoming dizzy has something to do with age!