High blood pressure may elevate your blood cholesterol levels. High blood pressure stretches and sometimes tears the walls of your arteries. Your body can usually repair them, but the scars left behind create a trap for cholesterol. Cholesterol can build up in these uneven spaces, increasing your risk for heart disease. If you take beta blockers to treat high blood pressure, the treatment could both help and harm your cholesterol levels.
High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol
Healthy blood pressure measures 120/80 mm Hg -- millimeters of mercury. You have stage 1 hypertension if your top number -- systolic blood pressure -- measures higher than 140 mm Hg or your bottom number -- diastolic blood pressure -- rises above 90. Your cholesterol test reveals four numbers: low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and total cholesterol -- a number calculated by adding your LDL and HDL cholesterol and a percentage of your triglycerides. High cholesterol means your LDL cholesterol measures more than 160 mg/dl, your triglycerides measure more than 200 mg/dl or your total cholesterol measures more than 240 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers generally prove effective in treating high blood pressure. They slow down the rate at which your heart beats, easing stress on your heart and pressure in your arteries. Some beta blockers also dilate your blood vessels, making room for your blood to flow more easily to your heart and other vital organs. High cholesterol levels can restrict blood flow. The buildup of cholesterol in your arteries narrows and hardens your arteries. Beta blockers don't work to remove cholesterol from your bloodstream but, by improving the condition of your arteries, they can help prevent additional clogs.
Side Effects
Some side effects of beta blockers may harm your cholesterol levels and risk for heart disease. Some beta blockers lower your levels of HDL cholesterol -- the "good" cholesterol that helps remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your bloodstream. If your HDL levels fall below 50 mg/dl -- for women -- or 40 mg/dl -- for men, you face an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Beta blockers can also increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that makes it harder to control cholesterol levels and doubles your risk for suffering a heart attack, according to the American Diabetes Association. Some beta blockers also lead to weight gain, another factor in high cholesterol readings.
Considerations
Beta blockers may cause other side effects, including fatigue, memory loss, sexual dysfunction and decreased heart function. Although beta blockers can help prevent deaths from heart disease, they can sometimes worsen symptoms of heart failure. If you take beta blockers, talk to your doctor about side effects, including the possible impact of beta blockers on your cholesterol levels. But do not stop taking beta blockers without medical supervision -- doing so could cause angina, heart attacks or sudden death. Also follow a low-fat, low-sugar diet and exercise regularly to help improve your cholesterol levels.
References
- American Heart Association: About High Blood Pressure
- American Heart Association: Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 24 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Drug Treatments: Beta Blockers; Glen Gandelman, M.D.; April 6, 2007
- MayoClinic.com: Do Beta Blockers Cause Weight Gain?
- American Diabetes Association: Living With Diabetes: Heart Disease
