By Pulse rate and blood pressure are both important for human health. Nobody wants too high or too low blood pressure, but an average ground blood pressure is best to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A stroke Level of Blood Pressure is also dangerous as it can cause a major brain attack.
“Why do I have a low pulse high blood pressure?” is a major concern for many people. The low pulse rate and high blood pressure rarely occur together, but they can co-occur sometime due to some medical conditions.
Usually, increased pulse rate and high blood pressure go hand-in-hand, but some people with hypertension (high blood pressure) can have a low pulse rate. Does a low pulse affect blood pressure? The article holds all the information about what causes high blood pressure and low heart rate, whether a low pulse affects blood pressure and the treatment of this problem. Let’s talk about low pulse and high blood pressure before knowing their causes, symptoms, and treatment.
What Is Low Pulse High Blood Pressure?
As mentioned earlier, high blood pressure is called hypertension and its reading is greater than 130/80mmHg, while the pulse rate (heart rate) is the number of how many times your heart beats. Normally, a pulse rate is between 60-100 beats in a minute. A heart rate below 60 is called bradycardia, while a pulse above 100 is called tachycardia.
Low pulse high blood pressure mean your blood vessels are being increasingly pressurized by the blood, but the heart beats less than 60 beats per minute. Let’s know about the main causes of this problematic issue.
Low Pulse High Blood Pressure: Causes
Although high blood pressure and low heart rate seem unpredictable, several factors cause this problem.
Thickened Heart Tissues
When you suffer from high blood pressure, it becomes harder for the heart to pump blood through blood vessels. The long-term overwork causes these issues as your muscles become thicker, and the heart also thickens due to the long-term overwork. The signals transmit in a changed way because of thickened heart tissues which can lead to high or low pulse rates. The heart beats irregularly, and the caused lower heart rate makes the heart rigid and contract forcefully.
Sick Sinus Syndrome
Sick sinus syndrome is also known as sinus node dysfunction (SND), which is a key factor affecting the sinoatrial node. This refers to the area located at the top of the heart where the impulse of the heartbeat generates.
Most probably, this problem occurs in older people, but it slows down the heart rate strangely and causes dizziness due to the less oxygen and blood circulation in your body.
Blood Pressure Medicines
High blood pressure and high pulse rate are common heart issues. People suffering from this problem take antihypertensive medicines to lower their heart rate. Most doctors prescribe Beta-blockers so that hypertension can be managed. These medicines are used to treat high blood pressure and lower the chances of heart failure. Beta-blockers include
- Nebivolol (Bystolic)
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
When beta receptors stimulate, the heart rate increases, but the heart rate decreases on the blockage of these beta receptors. So, the beta receptors in the heart are blocked when you use these medicines.
Deficiency of Oxygen
The deficiency of oxygen is called hypoxia, which is described as insufficient access to oxygen to the body tissues. It can happen due to choking episodes of a severe asthma attack that cause a medical emergency. It is necessary to treat the main causes of asthma if you suffer from low heart rate problems due to oxygen deficiency.
Internal Bleeding or Traumatic Injuries
Low pulse high blood pressure can also be caused by internal bleeding or traumatic injuries as the pressure on your brain increases when you get any damage or bleeding internally, and it can lead to the Cushing reflex.
Cushing Reflex
The Cushing reflex is referred to as a physiological response to increased intracranial pressure. It is a body way that restrains the blood pressure from getting too high. It signals the heart receptors to slow down the heart rate so the intracranial pressure can be lowered.
A few medical conditions can activate the Cushing reflex, including brain tumors, bleeding into the brain, stroke, meningitis, concussions, and trauma.
Low Pulse, High Blood Pressure: Symptoms
It can become a severe issue if you have a low pulse and high blood pressure. As you have read the causes, it’s essential to know the symptoms of this issue. The symptoms of this problem are as follows
- Weakness and dizziness
- Difficulty in speaking
- Back pain
- Change in vision
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Tired during physical activity
- Fainting
You must seek immediate medical treatment if you experience any of the mentioned symptoms, as they indicate that you need urgent treatment to save yourself from further issues.
Low Pulse, High Blood Pressure: Treatment
You must take instant medical attention if you experience a low pulse and high blood pressure. Follow the following instruction to cure low-impulse high blood pressure:
Exclude beta-blockers: Beta-blockers should be excluded as it causes low blood pressure.
Avoid excessive consumption of drinks: It is necessary to avoid excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages.
Reduce the stress-leading factors: Try to reduce the factors that increase stress, as it can affect heart rate. Exercising regularly and including yoga in your daily routine is an appropriate way to reduce stress.
Schedule proper checkups: The schedule and checkups must be included in your routine as it helps you check your fitness level and maintain your pulse and blood pressure.
Avoid Smoking: Smoking is a significant factor in heart and health issues that must be avoided. If you find it difficult to quit smoking, you can talk to your healthcare provider and follow as they instruct you,
Eat a healthy Diet: a healthy diet is essential to maintain blood pressure and pulse rate, so choose low-fat and nutritious food.
Final Words
The occurrence of low pulse and high blood pressure is rare, but it happens in many individuals. Normally, people only suffer from the problem of high blood pressure, but hypertension medicines can affect the pulse rate as a side effect. These side effects might induce the Cushing reflex or increase intracranial pressure.
The causes and symptoms of low pulse high blood pressure are numerous. Still, the most prominent are sick sinus syndrome, thickened heart issues, deficiency of oxygen, blood pressure medicines, weakness and dizziness, change in vision, fainting, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath, respectively. So it is important to seek medical treatment or talk to your health care provider for timely and appropriate treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a low pulse affect blood pressure?
Low and high pulse rates are both associated with high blood pressure, which is considered a serious issue. The intense pulse can affect the blood pressure, so if your blood pressure is high, but the pulse rate is low, it means your blood puts increased pressure on the blood vessels, but your heart beats less than 60 times in a minute
What is the main cause of low pulse high blood pressure?
Although there are many causes of low pulse and high blood pressure, the most significant is the thickened heart tissues. The heart muscles get thickened due to high blood pressure, and it becomes difficult to conduct electrical impulses over and done with these thick tissues. As a result, your heart does not beat as fast as it should, and the pulse rate becomes slower.
What are the dangers of low pulse rate and high blood pressure?
The slower heart rate can restrict the brain and other organs from getting enough oxygen, which causes many problems. The possible symptoms and signs include dizziness, chest pain, lightheadedness, memory problem, etc.
At what heart rate should you visit the hospital?
It is normal if your heart beats 60 to 100 times per minute, but a heart rate lower and above this limit is dangerous. If you encounter this problem, you must go to the emergency department and get a detailed checkup.
How can you fix low heart rate and high blood pressure?
The treatment of this issue depends on the cause, as the doctor can prescribe any antihypertensive if it happens due to hypertension medication. But if it happens due to the prolonged blood pressure that leads to the thickening of the heart, interventions such as a pacemaker or cardiac ablation are necessary.
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