Hypertension in my twenties

[uthooked88]

O.K. I had been debating whether to post my question here because I feel that is is very complex, or at least the lead up to it is.  To make a very long story as short as I can, I was very healthy up until I was 22 years old. I am now 24 years old.  When I was 21 my father was killed by a drunk driver and this sent me into a depression, although I never went to a doctor or took any medication for it.  When I was 22 I graduated from college and took a full-time job as an operations manager, working days and nights alike, at least 70 hours per week.  In January of 2007, one month before my 24th birthday, I experienced what I can only describe as a panick attack.  I was riding in the passenger seat with my boss, when all of a sudden I felt like I was going to faint.  I then felt my hands and feet get numb and felt a big pressure in my chest.  I asked him to please drive me to the hospital cuz I felt something was really wrong with me.  When I arrived at the hospital, I got even more scared and began to have trouble breathing.  They brought out the EKG machine to the waiting room and said all was normal.  The doctor said that all the blood work and EKG were fine, but that he wanted to keep me over night for tests.  Over night, I received three more EKG's, chest X-Ray's, a CT-scan (where they inject a yellow colored iodine to map your arteries), and the whole time I was hooked up to a little box that was monitoring my heart for the entire 24 hours.

In less than 18 hours they cleared me to go home with no restrictions.  Over the next two weeks of out-patient visits, my Internal medicine doctor noticed that my blood pressure was consistently high, with an average of 145-150/90-95.  He put me on Atenolol 25-mg and on Xanax as needed for the anxiety, that he diagnosed as GAD.  Well, my blood pressure improved to an average of about 130/80-85 or so, which he felt was satisfactory so he asked to not see me for another 3-4 months.  However, during this time I experience another 2 "panick attacks" with similar symptoms to the ones mentioned above.

Needless to say, I went for a second opinion with a Family Practitioner, whom assured me that my heart was fine based on the hospital results, but he added a 10-mg dose of Enalapril to go with the 25-mg of Atenolol because his goal was to get my blood pressure to an a systolic reading less than 120 and a diastolic reading of less than 80 on a consistent basis.  He also took me off of Xanax and put me on Lexapro 10-mg.  In addition, he asked me to exercise more and lose some weight.  I did everything he told me and the results were great.  My blood pressure now is an average of maximum 120 systolic over 78 diastolic.  I run 2.5 miles at least 3-4 times per week, and although my diet isn't the best, I greatly cut back on my consumption of sodium, saturated fat, and caffeine.

Now, today I went in to another doctor in my hometown b/c I had strep throat and he was schocked to see that a 24-year old man is on Atenolol.  He said that I should immidiatly go see a cardiologist, b/c he suspects that I am on Atenolol b/c there is something wrong with my heart.  This scared me more than I can explain.  Neither of my parents have any history of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.  Neither do my grandparents.  My mom has hypertension as does my maternal grandmother. When my dad passed away at the age of 59 his only ailment was high cholesterol.

My question is this:

1.) Was his assumption that there is probably something wrong with my heart accurate, because I am on atenolol?

2.)  What kind of a future do I have to look forward to as a 24-yeard old man with hypertension?

I know my message is very long but any help you could provide me would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you very much!!! God Bless....

[anacyde]

I will echo everything Barbarella said.  Atenolol is prescribed to people with a variety of conditions, and not all of those conditions are as scary as your GP is making it sound.  Atenolol can be prescribed for arrythmias, blood pressure, anxiety, cardiomyopathy and a number of other things.  In your case, the doctor was probably looking for a drug to lower your BP with few side effects, given you're so young.  Being on Atenolol for blood pressure DOES NOT MEAN anything is wrong with your heart.  The Atenolol lowers your blood pressure, thus protecting your heart from the excess workload that high blood pressure causes.

As far as your future, let me provide a window for you.  My husband has had borderline to high blood pressure since his teens.  At 35, he began treating it.  He had developed a very slightly enlarged aorta from years of leaving it untreated, but this is totally manageable and has remained stable since he started treating.  Otherwise he is fine.  Had he started treating in his 20s like you, he'd probably be the picture of health.  He's 40 now, by the way.  His heart is fine, but like you, he takes medications to protect it by lowering blood pressure.  Starting treatment early, like you have, means you can probably look forward to a very normal life if you continue treatment, regular exercise and maintain a healthy diet.  I personally suspect that your biggest issue is stress.  Do things to manage that (like worrying less about Atenolol - it's a good thing!) and make time for yourself to enjoy life.  A 70 hour a week job would cause anyone stress.  Those probably are panic attacks, they sound exactly like mine when I had them a few years ago.

Hang in there.  You'll be ok.

[Barbarella]

Many people get Atenolol for high blood pressure.  I know some of them, and none of them have heart problems.  Hypertension can be inherited.  I too started at a very young age with high BP it runs on both sides of my family.

I personally would pay more attention what an Internist would tell me than a Family Practionor.  If you are to concerned make an appointment with a Cardiologist, and a Hypertension Specialist that is what I did a few yrs back.  Listen what they tell you.  To many people leave the doctors offices with questions they never did ask their doctors.  

Since you are still so young maybe a lifestyle change can bring your BP down, but if you need meds, don't fear it, take it and forget about it, if you get side effects tell your doctor or cardiologist whoever prescribed it for you, and he/she will switch you to another brand.