Losartan 100 mg daily causing Arrhythmia’s.

My GP has me on 100 Mg Lorsartan 1x a day. Before this, I was on Valsartan 160 mg 1x a day. I have had dizzy spells in the afternoon hours and some Arrhythmia issues. I have come to the conclusion sits the BP meds causing this. Anyone have experience with these Blood Pressure Meds? They also seem to make me feel weak in my extremities at times.
My BP has been hard to control lately. Should I be working with my GP or my Cardiologist on changing to another medication? I have lost 32 lbs but I think my diet is contributing to these episodes. Also, I stopped Prescription Benzo use after many years on Klonopin. I tapered Over a 2 year period May2,2020 but I feel rebound Anxiety biting me big time still.
Thanks in advance.

The losartan contains potassium. You might want to ask your prescribing physician to check your serum potassium levels to make sure they’re in range.

Quote
wolfpack
The losartan contains potassium. You might want to ask your prescribing physician to check your serum potassium levels to make sure they’re in range.

I should know the answer to that Tuesday. Blood Test ran by Cardiologist Friday.

I've taken both and never experienced any sort of side effects. Dizziness and feeling weak in the extremities could simply be it's dropping your BP too low. 100 mg is the maximum dosage for losartan.

Quote
Carey
I've taken both and never experienced any sort of side effects. Dizziness and feeling weak in the extremities could simply be it's dropping your BP too low. 100 mg is the maximum dosage for losartan.

BP not showing that. Actually, I am high like 155/85 at times. The next morning, It might be 121/80. My BP seems to always be higher in the afternoon hours. Also, I am more Anxious in the afternoon. I have anxiety issues that wane and wax. Anxiety seems to be related to BP and Arrhythmia’s.
White coating is my specialty. I can just look at a BP machine and it bothers me. I have had this issue since 2018. Trying to analyze every health situation is a big issue for me.

Okay, maybe not. I just thought maybe because dizziness and weakness in the extremities are signs of low BP.

I'm sure you know all this but anxiety will definitely crank up your BP. Anxiety causes you to produce more adrenaline, and that means higher BP, faster heart rate, faster breathing -- all those "fight or flight" responses. I understand you probably don't want to go back to benzos, but you might want to look into alternative ways of dealing with it because drugs are going to have a hard time beating down the effects of anxiety. Yoga? Meditation? Exercise? Congrats on losing 32 lbs!

Smackman - As Wolfpack notes... consider the potassium issue. We know that unless or until, you have optimal intracellular levels of magnesium, adding potassium can cause ectopic beats as it shortens the refractory period or the time between beats. Do you use supplemental magnesium. If so what form and what's the dosage?
I agree that your anxiety can be triggered by the "what if's" concerning arrhythmia. Once we've been ablated and it revs up to any extent, it can cause anxiety.
Jackie

I am taking 100mg Lorsartan also. I have no noticable side effects. I do not even know if it is doing much good even at the100mg. I will stop taking it, and see what happens. My BP also goes up the afternoon. My readings are 145-155/95-100 during the afternoons. The only thing that I have found that works is hard exercise session in the swimming pool. (swimming/running). Then it goes down to 125/85 for the rest of the day. The next day back to HBP.

On the subject of BP, has anyone else here noticed that the old Hg column sphygmomanometer gives distinctly lower readings than the new electronic measuring devices?? I run at 120-130/80 on the old mercury column but 145/85 or so on the new-fangled stuff. My doc absolutely favours the mercury reading. Conspiracy theory wise I wonder if big pharma haven't got a hand in making sure the new measuring contraptions read higher!

Quote
mwcf
On the subject of BP, has anyone else here noticed that the old Hg column sphygmomanometer gives distinctly lower readings than the new electronic measuring devices?? I run at 120-130/80 on the old mercury column but 145/85 or so on the new-fangled stuff. My doc absolutely favours the mercury reading. Conspiracy theory wise I wonder if big pharma haven't got a hand in making sure the new measuring contraptions read higher!

Interesting, Mike. I've used the manual models with a spring dial pressure sensor for years. They seem to work well and are consistent. I posted this on the topic a few days ago:

I happened to be in a Zoom meeting last week with a university researcher from the UK. He's an exercise physiologist, associated with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and looks at a lot of wearable devices. He was commenting about how unreliable many of the consumer devices are. He quipped, "My parents take their blood pressure 25 times a day and it varies greatly. This is because they are using a random number generator device. When I take their blood pressure the old fashioned way, it is always the same."

I think there are two factors that affect the results. First is the quality of the automated devices; they're not all created equal. Don't go cheap when you buy one, and forget wearables. Anything that doesn't have an inflatable cuff is worthless. Second is skill with a manual device. I've trained a lot of people to take BPs, and trust me, not everyone is good at it, and I include medical professionals in that.

I think the best way to judge both types is to take three or more readings successively. Sit down, relax, rest your arm on a table, and take three readings in succession, waiting one minute between each. What you should see is three readings all within a few points of each other. But what I've seen from inexpensive automatic units is significantly different readings, often varying as much as 10 mm in either direction. But with a manual unit, I see three nearly identical readings.

I definitely agree with your doc that a manual unit in the hands of someone well practiced is far superior. However, it does take some training and practice to be accurate, and it's tricky to do one on yourself without someone to help. Just not enough hands.

Just got my lab results. All labs including potassium and Magnesium are good. I know it’s not a inter cell check but this is what 99% of Physicians go by. Either the Losartan is not working and/or my “Anxiety is my issue. I cannot even tell anyone why my Anxiety is high. Life is good but I cannot shake the Anxiety.

Quote
smackman
Either the Losartan is not working and/or my “Anxiety is my issue. I cannot even tell anyone why my Anxiety is high. Life is good but I cannot shake the Anxiety.

I can relate to white coat hypertension. I've known I've had this since my late 20's, when a doc friend alerted me to it. Mine is odd. I can go give blood and my BP will be fine. Go to a doctor's office and I can feel my heart rate increase and BP increase. Something about being judged in my case. It is OK at home & I've never been on meds for it. Years ago, recall having an insurance physical and the guy taking my vitals could see my BP & heart rate increasing as he sat there. I started taking my own BP with a manual aneroid sphygmomanometer. It was while taking my BP this way that I discovered my first afib episode, as my pulse sounded "weird."

I can do lots of things that reduce my base BP (keep insulin very low through diet & fasting, certain exercises & exercise devices), but have yet to figure out how to control it when it is my brain driving it up other than try to avoid those situations. For example, the dentist office decided it would be a good idea to take BP. I told them I know well what my BP is and to please put it in my file not to take it. They complied and I'm a lot happier going to the dentist. If I have to go to the docs, we will also have conversations about this.

For some reason, I have allowed this to “get in my Head”. I will white coat at Home. I just took my BP 3X and the average is143/83 and I know I am tense but cannot overcome it. My heart rate is around 70. I feel at times my BP is low because of weakness in my extremities at times. No Chest Pain; Just weakness in my arms. This is a fight or flight match for me. I was on 3mg of Klonopin a day and I tapered for 2 years to finally beat this beast. I am still on 10 mg of Prozac but that is it for Anxiety. I finished my Benzo Tapet with Valium and May 2, 2020 was the last day. I am still on a roller coaster. I was on the Klonopin for 7 years.

Usually when you go to the doctor they always have an assistant take your BP, she may be good or she may not. There is one doctor that I have gone to who has a girl that I dislike, she is not very nice, when she takes my BP it is always a little high. One time she took it and said my Diastolic was 92, I have never ever had my Diastolic that high and I told her so, she wouldn't take it again. Based on that girls reading the doctor gave me a script for a BP med., I took my BP for 2 weeks and recorded it, I never had a reading like that girl had, I have not taken that BP pill, there are times when my BP is a little low and taking a BP pill would drive it lower, no wonder older people have dizzy spells and fall, too many drugs they don't need. Now the Med. industry wants to have our Systolic reading in the lower 120s, that is ridiculous for older people. When you are older your arteries get stiffer and it takes more pressure to pump blood so it is normal for BP to be a little higher when you are older.

My mother who is 77 takes Losartan to help with her BP but it also helps with Afib. Ever since she started taking Losartan, she doesn't get PVC's or afib episodes. Maybe it's coincidence but she swears by Losartan now.

Quote
smackman
For some reason, I have allowed this to “get in my Head”. I will white coat at Home. I just took my BP 3X and the average is143/83 and I know I am tense but cannot overcome it. My heart rate is around 70. I feel at times my BP is low because of weakness in my extremities at times. No Chest Pain; Just weakness in my arms. This is a fight or flight match for me. I was on 3mg of Klonopin a day and I tapered for 2 years to finally beat this beast. I am still on 10 mg of Prozac but that is it for Anxiety. I finished my Benzo Tapet with Valium and May 2, 2020 was the last day. I am still on a roller coaster. I was on the Klonopin for 7 years.

As an FYI, this came through my feed today. You might be interested - a non-drug way to help with anxiety.

[www.alpha-stim.com]

Losartan esp at 100 mg can cause hypoglycemia.

Something to think about.