ELEVATED PULSE AND SYSTOLIC BP

I AM 45 YEAR OLD MALE, 6'2", 218 LBS. THIS PAST FEBRUARY I HAD A STINT IMPLANT PLACED IN MY RIGHT CORONARY (80% BLOCKAGE). DISCOVERED AFTER A SUDDEN INCREASE IN BP AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS OVERWEIGHT (280 LBS) AND LIMITED ON EXERCISE, I WORK 16 HOURS/DAY, SOMETIMES 6 DAYS /WEEK. DURING STINT PROCEDURE, WENT INTO ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND HAD TO BE SHOCKED. SUPRISINGLY, THIS IS STILL VERY VIVID IN MY MIND, I CAN RECALL EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS, IN FINE DETAIL. I HAVE EXPEREINCED ANXIETY AND SOME DEPRESSION. CURRENTLY MY NORMAL BP IS 124 / 61, FREQUENTLY IT CAN DROP AS LOW AS 100 / 56. MY AVG. PULSE RATE IS 86. WHEN I AWAKE IN THE MORNINGS (3:15 AM), MY BP IS 150 / 75, PULSE RATE 95-105. THE SAME HAPPENS FREQUENLTY IN THE EVENINGS. PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT COULD BE HAPPENING. DOCTOR CURRENTLY HAS ME ON TWO - 81 MG ASPIRIN/DAY, 10 MG LEXAPRO AND .5 MG OF XANAX. I HAVE ALSO BEEN ON AND OFF ANTIBIOTICS FOR OVER A YEAR FIGHTING SINUS INFECTION.
(NOTE: HIGH BP / HEART INCIDENT IMMEDIATLEY FOLLOWED MY THIRD ROUND OF STEROID TREATMENT FOR SINUS INFECTION).

THANKS,
RBBPB2    

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

Steroids increase blood pressure -- that could be related.

If you are waking up at night with high blood pressure and fast heart rates, anxiety comes to mind.  That is what your doctor is treating you for with xanax and lexapro.
From the way you describe it, my bet is anxiety.  I can't really be sure though.  A blood pressure log may help your doctor figure out what is going on.  Obviously the lower blood pressures make the high blood pressures more difficult to treat.

I hope this helps.