Julie Bove > wrote:

>"Steve Pope" > wrote in message


>> One factor in favor of prescribing statins is there are not (at least,
>> widely agreed-upon) alternatives for statins as a first-line cholesterol
>> control med. Whereas beta-blockers, there are plenty of alternative
>> hypertension meds. (Some other conditions, other than hypertension, that
>> require beta-blockers there are probably no alternatives.)

>At the time I was put on the beta blocker I was told it would have less side
>effects than the other BP meds. Yeah, right.

Similar with me. I have been on a beta-blocker for 14 years, but at a low
dose. Persons newly diagnosed with hypertension are not put on
beta-blockers. This is because of the diabetes risk. I took steps (this
involved some amount of effort) to not increase my beta-blocker dose.
Currently I am on two BP meds, but at the lowest therapeutic dose of
each -- 25 mg atenolol, and 30 mg nifedipine. I have tried at least three
others (that I can think of) each of which caused side effects.

I would resist any effort to increase the beta-blocker dose, probably
by trying the next new med down the list.

Steve