Hi I have been experiencing hypertension for yrs and as of recent I cant get it under control.  I m  a female 56yrs of age.  I am concerned because Im also having discomfort in my back and my chest  and arm. I recently went to my usual MD and was put on more meds, norvasc, lisinopril,, atenenol and zanax.  My discomfort is worse in the evening, I dont go back to my  primary until 3wks. In the mean time  Im going to schedule a stress test.  I want make sure Im on the right track
Hello, and welcome to Chat Doctor, It is very normal for blood pressure to fluctuate, even in a matter of minutes and stress definitely can make blood pressure go up temporarily. Blood pressure can be elevated when patients come in to see their doctor for an appointment and then decrease by the end of the visit. This is quite common. Hormones that are produced when we are stressed make the heart beat faster and the blood vessels narrow which results in higher blood pressure. But a blood pressure of more than 140/90 is high, particularly the diastolic number (more than 90). If there is a stressor in your life that you anticipate will be ongoing, and you have tried behavioral things to bring it down such as various relaxation techniques without benefit, then it would be appropriate to start a low dose antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering) medication. Your blood pressure without stress is already on the borderline for high blood pressure. You may also want to consider a medication for managing ongoing stress such as an "SSRI". I wish you well, and hope that this information helps.