high blood pressure and heart murmur

[majella3]

I have been told i have high blood pressure 157-95 ...doc also said i have heart murmur in 2nd systolic....have to wait for appointment for echo ,,,,does anyone know what this means

[Jerry_NJ]

I don't understand why you are not being treated for high BP, seems to me a natural to put you on a beta block, unless your rest HR is very low, less than 50 bpm, say.  

Most times heart murmurs are not dangerous, I don't know what the 2nd systolic means.  The echocardiogram will give your doctors a complete physical picture of your hear, valves and pumping efficiency.  I doubt that the echo will produce anything new relative to your high blood pressure.

I think you high BP if it is near then numbers you post, needs immediate attention, I do not think an echo is necessary to treatment ... but I am not a doctor, so I  am saying ask your doctor if you can be treated for high BP while waiting for an echo.

[majella3]

thanks for your comments doc putting me on 24hr blood pressure monitor mondat to check resting bp etc. i have constant headaches and get a weak feeling that comes over me but just for a few moments every now and then...also got to go have mammogram amd ultrasound on wed as doc found lump in my left breast.....so don't know wheter i'm coming or going at present......just feel scared

[NTB]

hi, majella. A murmur is a sound from the heart that wouldn't ordinarily be there. Systolic means the noise occurs when the heart is contracting. The '2' means it's graded as a 2, with 1 being the softest and 6 being the loudest. The echo is likely meant to give a visual of what's going on inside the heart to be making that extra noise, such as a heart valve that isn't working quite properly. Keep in mind that many murmurs don't mean that there is a serious problem. The echo can also measure 'ejection fraction', which is how well the heart is pumping.

It's understandable to be anxious. In fact, many people's blood pressure rises just from the act of being measured, which is the 'white coat' hypertension you've probably heard of  - also called 'office pressure'. So I'd bet your doc wants to know your 'home pressure' with the monitor, to determine if you really have hypertension before he begins any drugs with you. Your blood pressure numbers don't represent any hypertension emergency.

Good luck to you  :)

[majella3]

thanks for taking time to reply to me. will let you know how i get on...

[majella3]

hi
my doc rang today to say my 24 hr blood pressure check shows my pressure is raised having echo on tuesday and back to see doc thur for blood pressure tablets.........can you feel chest pain and some light headed with high blood pressure

[NTB]

hi, majella. high blood pressure usually doesn't have symptoms, except sometimes when it's super high like 190/110. Good luck, I hope everything turns out okay for you.