Q: I would like to talk with my doctor about the blood test used to determine the most effect blood pressure medicine. Can you give me information about that? Thank you
A: Individualizing treatment for all medical conditions is the latest trend in medicine. Blood levels of renin, a substance produced by the kidneys, may help predict who will respond best to a certain category of blood pressure drugs. However, enough studies have not been done to prove that measuring renin levels results in better control of blood pressure. To read more about renin levels in high blood pressure, read this article at MedScape.com.
Further Reading:
Info on Different BP Meds – DiscoveryHealth
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I thought about this approach years before there was a blood test. I tried BP medicine Tekturna which helped with the renin but could not control the swings in BP. Some of us have tried every method and Rx available but heredity and stress management are bigger factors than the researchers will admit.
I am beginning to suspect a relationship between gravity and the aging body. My pulse rate is 71 when in the supine position,74 sitting, and 86 standing.I am an 85+ year healthy old male. I believe approximately 2/3rds of the blood volume is below the diaphraigm. Astonauts experience redistribution of the blood volume when entering 0 G and again when returning to 1 G. It usually takes a healthy astronaut two weeks to be able to walk after returning to earth!
I was taking Atenolol for nearly 20 years but my BP was not very well controlled. A year ago I was also put on Amlodipine 5mg. This has been so effective that I have been able to come off Atenolol and reduce the Amlodipine to 2.5mg. I gather low renin people benefit more from a calcium channel blocker such as Amlodipine, so, although I haven’t had my renin levels checked, I suspect that I may fall into this category.