Pacemaker & Blood Pressure

I am curious how Pacemaker Settings influence Blood Pressure?

I read on this forum someone discussing having High Blood pressure and that their doctor worked to adjust the PM settings and that regulated their high blood pressure.

Currently my pressure is 150/100 consistently. I am taking a low dose beta blocker and lotrel 5/10mg and my pnumbers are still high.

I am headed to the cardiologist office tomorrow morning to see what he can do.

Any suggestions from from those who have high blood pressure.

My background is that I've have the PM for 7 weeks for Sick Sinus. I am 39 years old.

2 Comments

blood pressure

by debbie54 - 2008-10-05 08:10:23

Hi malston01. I would be very interested in what your doctor has to say. I'm 3months post op with a pm for bracycardia. Since i've had the pm my blood pressure has been high 140/90 - 180/100, it use to be 98/54 - 115/60. I called my doctors office and the nurse said its not the pm. I have an appt with the dr 10/17. They prescribed me Taztia XT 240mg. i'm scared to take it cuz i don't know what it will do if my bp goes back to normal (for me). The nurse wouldn't answer my question. I just feel the pm has something to do with it. my pm is set at 50bpm. it sure would be nice to just have to tweek the device and all be well. Please let me know what they say about yours. Thanks, Debbie

PM Influence On BP

by SMITTY - 2008-10-05 10:10:57


Helloo Malston01,

Some time ago I commented on this subject and it may have been the article you mention about the influence of a pacemaker on blood pressure, although I'm not sure, as my time here has been hit and miss for several weeks. Anyway, I have looked for information on the subject on how a PM can cause an increase, or decrease, in BP and really have not found much on the subject. So, me being me I have come up with my own theory on how that can happen.

First to be sure we are on the same page, let me give what I understand is the definition of blood pressure. In blood pressure we have a systolic and diastolic pressure reading. The systolic reading is the amount of pressure (measured in milliliters of mercury) on the blood vessel walls required for the heart to push blood to every part of the body. The diastolic reading is the amount of pressure on the blood vessel walls as the blood returns to the heart. Of course this means the systolic pressure will always be higher than the diastolic pressure.

In my younger days I learned that if you increase flow volume through any tube (in this case blood vessels) you will increase the pressure due to the resistance of flow through that tube.

Now let's see how this all relates to a PM and BP. If you got a PM because of sick sinus syndrome, sinus node dysfunction or some other problem that caused you to have bradycardia, which is what the medics call a heart rate below about 60 BPM. Further, if you had a PM implanted so that it could increase your heart rate to somewhere above 60 BPM, that means the blood flow from your heart rate has increased. (I am ignoring the impact CHF could have on all this.) Increase the blood flow and you increase the pressure of the blood going and returning through your blood vessels.

One last thing. Frankly I do not know how changing the PM settings can reduce blood pressure unless it is done by lowing low the set point which would in effect slow your heart rate.

I shall now sit and wait for someone to give a better explanation PM effects on BP.

Gook luck,

Smitty

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