Not responding to medication.

  My husband has been on medication since June 1998 for high blood pressure.  
  He has tried ace inhibitors and beta blockers starting from low to maximum
  doses on each. Nothing as even touched the pressure readings. The only thing
  being affected is his pulse rate. Currently his pressure is averaging
  between 160/95-180/112. We both feel is is time to work on this a little
  more agressively since this condition may have began long before June
  98 and he may have been unaware of it. Blood work has been done but no
  other diagnostic testing. Any recommendations as to why he is resising the
  medication and what should be the next steps?
  Thank you...
Dear Sherry
He probably ought to see a cardiologist or some other specialist in high blood pressure. Possibly he needs to be on more than one type of medicine. There may also be an underlying cause for his high blood pressure; certain disorders of the kidneys and adrenal glands, for example, can result in forms of high blood pressure that can be cured. Though such disorders are rare, it is worth screening for them.
I hope this is useful. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.