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Rapid heartrate/high blood pressure after eating
For the past several years I have noticed that after eating food (which ranges from just a cup of milk to a full meal) that my heart rate and blood pressure increases significantly about 30 minutes after eating, and it lasts for about one and 1/2 hours to two hours. This occurs about 50% of the time after eating. My heart rate goes from ~75 bpm up to 140 bmp (max todate), and the blood pressure goes from 130/80 up to 180/102 (max to date). Note: I am borderline hypertensive and take 20mg of lisinopril a day. I have attempted to determine if there is a particular type of food, or food additive that might trigger the symptoms, and have noticed the symptoms always occur when I eat peanut butter or the snack crackers that are sold in vending machines, and will occassionally happen when I eat homemade macroni and cheese. Other that these foods, I can find no relationships. I can have a cup of milk one morning and get the symptoms, then have a cup the next day from the same gallon and have no symptoms. I have had several tests in the hospital - stress test, sonogram of the heart, gastronomic tests - with no results. Of course the tests were not conducted just after eating, so I was not exhibiting the symptoms. Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this?
I have a similar condition - I found your post in my search for answers and there's not too much I can find on this one.
More and more I've noticed that after eating dinner (my largest meal of the day) my pressure elevates and my HR goes up. A quick flight of stairs or minimal extra exertion quickly boosts the condition.
It's kind of scary when I feel it happen and hope that the dismissal of it being serious is correct for both our sakes. I rarely see my cardiologist because I too have passed all heart related tests swimmingly, but you always have to be concerned about these things. This is my first question for my next visit.
If anyone knows of further info they can direct me to, I would appreciate it.
More and more I've noticed that after eating dinner (my largest meal of the day) my pressure elevates and my HR goes up. A quick flight of stairs or minimal extra exertion quickly boosts the condition.
It's kind of scary when I feel it happen and hope that the dismissal of it being serious is correct for both our sakes. I rarely see my cardiologist because I too have passed all heart related tests swimmingly, but you always have to be concerned about these things. This is my first question for my next visit.
If anyone knows of further info they can direct me to, I would appreciate it.
I have the same problem, but have had IST for years and recently HBP. I'v had to quit all coffee, tea, soda, everything with caffeine but still whenever I eat fast foods or salty foods my HR raises. Even after changing my diet and taking beta blockers, at times my heart rate raises when I eat, so I never use table salt and try to determine exactly what foods cause this. What I'v found is that the salty foods cause this more so than the bland foods, and especially restaurant food (for me), but after years of having IST, I think that some of us just have faster heart rates. I don't know how true that is but I was told there is not much I can do about my heart rate.
wonder why this post popped up without a reply?
Anyways, my guess to budgetguy is that you could me lactose intolerant.
Anyways, my guess to budgetguy is that you could me lactose intolerant.
I just read your post from last Nov about your high bp and fast hr after eating.
Just wanted to say, I have the exact same problem. Here's some info:
I'm just 34 years old and I'm in good health. I was running 10 miles a week and taking only 2 meds (thyroid and PPI for reflux) and my bp was normally 100/60.
Then one day I bought a blood pressure machine for my wife. I decided to use it on myself to show her. It was just after I had a large meal, and to my surprise, my blood pressure was 200/105. I nearly soiled my pants after seeing this number twice.
I lived near the mayo clinic in AZ so I drove to the ER as fast as possible (in hindsight this was stupid because panic just made it go higher). They kicked me out of the ER with a beta blocker after 2 hours, and my bp was around 150/95. They said I had anxiety. Actually this incident caused anxiety! The next week I was put on 50mg of Toprolol XL (I'm still taking this and it helps a lot).
Since the first episode over a year ago, I have noticed that every time I eat a high protein meal like chicken, whole milk, eggs, peanut butter, etc, my bp would go high.
I have had a $30k checkup including adrenals, two MRIs (abdomen, brain), CT scans, x-rays, stress tests, ultrasounds of aorta and carotids, echocardiograms, so many blood tests I could have filled a donation bank's freezer, and after all this I was left wondering - after seeing four cardiologists, 8 emergency rooms, etc., WHY THE HECK was my blood pressure going through the roof after big meals. I actually developed a panic / anxiety issue BECAUSE of this! Now I'm on beta blockers primarily because of the aftereffects of this mess.
I have spent so many hours in front of the computer trying to research this, it is crazy. I have no medical background so it has been really tough to sort through all the info, but I think there is a connection with the vagus nerve, reflux, etc. and some of this is just normal. Some medical books say it is normal for BP to go up even 50 mmHg after eating a meal for some people.
Things I have found that help, are:
1. Take a PPI like Aciphex.
2. Eat small meals frequently and don't eat after 7pm.
3. Reduce stress and anxiety or don't eat when stressed.
4. When your stomach is fired up, drink Ensure for a week with no solids, to rest your stomach (worked for me twice).
5. Don't eat food too high in fat or protein.
6. Keep your thyroid in check (TSH). When my TSH is high things get worse.
7. Drink plenty of fluids during the day.
I don't know if it is dangerous to have BP being up to ~190/100 or so for a couple of hours,... it causes me a lot of anxiety just thinking about it and my cardiologist had no opinion on this question. I guess its normal for some people, and I know that weight lifters get up to 300/200. So anyway.. I guess if everyone checked their BP after eating there would be more posts here :-)
Just wanted to say, I have the exact same problem. Here's some info:
I'm just 34 years old and I'm in good health. I was running 10 miles a week and taking only 2 meds (thyroid and PPI for reflux) and my bp was normally 100/60.
Then one day I bought a blood pressure machine for my wife. I decided to use it on myself to show her. It was just after I had a large meal, and to my surprise, my blood pressure was 200/105. I nearly soiled my pants after seeing this number twice.
I lived near the mayo clinic in AZ so I drove to the ER as fast as possible (in hindsight this was stupid because panic just made it go higher). They kicked me out of the ER with a beta blocker after 2 hours, and my bp was around 150/95. They said I had anxiety. Actually this incident caused anxiety! The next week I was put on 50mg of Toprolol XL (I'm still taking this and it helps a lot).
Since the first episode over a year ago, I have noticed that every time I eat a high protein meal like chicken, whole milk, eggs, peanut butter, etc, my bp would go high.
I have had a $30k checkup including adrenals, two MRIs (abdomen, brain), CT scans, x-rays, stress tests, ultrasounds of aorta and carotids, echocardiograms, so many blood tests I could have filled a donation bank's freezer, and after all this I was left wondering - after seeing four cardiologists, 8 emergency rooms, etc., WHY THE HECK was my blood pressure going through the roof after big meals. I actually developed a panic / anxiety issue BECAUSE of this! Now I'm on beta blockers primarily because of the aftereffects of this mess.
I have spent so many hours in front of the computer trying to research this, it is crazy. I have no medical background so it has been really tough to sort through all the info, but I think there is a connection with the vagus nerve, reflux, etc. and some of this is just normal. Some medical books say it is normal for BP to go up even 50 mmHg after eating a meal for some people.
Things I have found that help, are:
1. Take a PPI like Aciphex.
2. Eat small meals frequently and don't eat after 7pm.
3. Reduce stress and anxiety or don't eat when stressed.
4. When your stomach is fired up, drink Ensure for a week with no solids, to rest your stomach (worked for me twice).
5. Don't eat food too high in fat or protein.
6. Keep your thyroid in check (TSH). When my TSH is high things get worse.
7. Drink plenty of fluids during the day.
I don't know if it is dangerous to have BP being up to ~190/100 or so for a couple of hours,... it causes me a lot of anxiety just thinking about it and my cardiologist had no opinion on this question. I guess its normal for some people, and I know that weight lifters get up to 300/200. So anyway.. I guess if everyone checked their BP after eating there would be more posts here :-)
2 Comments
Milk, eggs and peanuts are all in the top 8 foods that cause allergic reactions. Chicken is not though. Some people who are allergic to milk are also allergic to beef.
Also, allergies add up, [1]. It is possible to react to a food at one time but not at another (or not so you'd notice) because of other allergic reactions going on at the same time.
Also, mold turns up in the weirdest places. Vinegar, smoked food, dried fruit, some coffee, some chocolate and of course blue cheeses. Mushrooms can be an issue for the mold allergic. They certainly are for me!
While the classic description of anaphylaxis involves hypOtension, in fact this only happens about 1/3 of the time, [2]. In what may be the first study of its kind, published in 2016, 12.9% of anaphylaxis cases were found to involve hypERtension, [3].
It is important to note that the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis include only hypOtension, not hypERtension, so hypERtensive cases have to qualify solely on the basis of other diagnostic criteria, such as flushing, itching, swelling, hives, shortness of breath, etc, [2,4].
I'm not a medical doctor, just a science guy with a lot of allergies who had a reaction to a single bite of mushroom last night. I became very dizzy, close to passing out I thought, which is why I called an ambulance. The paramedics arrived in less than 10 minutes and measured my blood pressure at 179/80 (usually 117/70) and pulse at 106 (usually 50). The paramedics did other tests while my blood pressure and heart rate slowly fell, and although they didn't dismiss my suggestion of anaphylaxis they also suggested it could be a panic attack (which I've never had before). Flush-itch symptoms showed up 20 minutes after the paramedics had left (80 minutes after ingestion).
As a research scientist (in a completely different field) I have to wonder if there is systematic under-reporting of hypERtensive allergic reactions due to the fact that the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis do not currently include hypERtension, and there is no corresponding diagnosis for "allergic reactions with hypERtension".
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15842228
[2] https://www.aaaai.org//anaphylaxis-hypertension
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articleshttps://adclick.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/click?xai=AKAOjsu-g8r9oCGLf_6njwHG4_aGrWpGS6lki5aFnN4siJnBoaXMNMQL2pqXIN-w29ERqi87R_8eETYWSyIEsFwMG-v_wWWwnWEBHtqAFk6yxFG__XHBW8ziKboCSEFAkgHUyio9lpBvB0oSUOEtDDTou7Tg4fRX06l28iYgAhGudOAXOHcSAavZDQK4IE2JEasHtE_YpFth3_xME4r14gNZzJGDI6Ug6AP2xi51bRF5SxX6HI1pTGOBbC_T6pnbX3DNFELYPRrEp3-6GbWwUaSO5KK0Op3rT5d_mI96e6qKceuM8EbFqGuLbrLePgA-d4LTj-vKz9Dx2qn6O-c7-goNk61saLXdicdp0RaprjMlYta85bbEDS1ma42BFBcA-RndvmSIo5OZPrqUTfQAuHWweTxf5igWXNJcJrqkvjfDCnDI_XgO3SgXHA-rUa4ZTgDLVCH8sPkQoyOBwRU-RviFLeUKzV_abBVP89hYnkdbebYciLJlKE8_SQEzZsBs6t4vbCz1IhDodzTbLXZ46baGbT1K0lFgUDebldioRkVs8l8XijvoBJtROxcfOv17HrF6KsjmI8jx8--Zae3sFcYSI1drF4KmQiHglamH4ZUvnJptuu3rdm0e70sEBk6zx1-QNtkwmiQUcRvr_-42g1fhb6hykyKgdyDgohbRumJpc-Kh9Dwk7gh_jUzTSrmcGX7Tj4RPEJ3G0Yr3Gq0ujuudCZ5aCzpvmVZsIicMwVml2OKx8HAoHpgsRi3fwzMSR6JTaI7-jdUMc_2vUK4s7DrDobwNSJL1P9li9svsFjaFWV3MgwYDA9fqPvjz4zyEwphm7gclSNWZTTGY96FnJYCtRjdHONpb35cCTsz1nona1UrJTewPphEm0oLnu1i_SY6mdRTF6SkWwApVTZORq1C6jcShKv9xijuxFg&sai=AMfl-YTEOaUrxQEadUNP-vgW006wGO1-puv81_-ReTl7s8HIMnp__-jvr_dzmSHGo0x2w3C3KV794FuWmzXql45BY3-4rcjZpQpX2qEbgsumCaYDDj90SpDCJKh2Zx9hylX-RpW8&sig=Cg0ArKJSzDhCyyMaeTee&urlfix=1&adurl=https://www.zyrtec.com/savings%3Futm_medium%3Ddisplay-static%26utm_source%3Dcadreon%26utm_term%3D211144858%26utm_content%3Dzyrtecdsave4spring2018%26utm_campaign%3Dus_zyrtecd_2018zyrtecd/PMC4970985/
[4] http://www.eaaci.org/attachments/Anaphylaxis%20guidelines%20Draft%204.5%202013%2006%20.pdf
Also, allergies add up, [1]. It is possible to react to a food at one time but not at another (or not so you'd notice) because of other allergic reactions going on at the same time.
Also, mold turns up in the weirdest places. Vinegar, smoked food, dried fruit, some coffee, some chocolate and of course blue cheeses. Mushrooms can be an issue for the mold allergic. They certainly are for me!
While the classic description of anaphylaxis involves hypOtension, in fact this only happens about 1/3 of the time, [2]. In what may be the first study of its kind, published in 2016, 12.9% of anaphylaxis cases were found to involve hypERtension, [3].
It is important to note that the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis include only hypOtension, not hypERtension, so hypERtensive cases have to qualify solely on the basis of other diagnostic criteria, such as flushing, itching, swelling, hives, shortness of breath, etc, [2,4].
I'm not a medical doctor, just a science guy with a lot of allergies who had a reaction to a single bite of mushroom last night. I became very dizzy, close to passing out I thought, which is why I called an ambulance. The paramedics arrived in less than 10 minutes and measured my blood pressure at 179/80 (usually 117/70) and pulse at 106 (usually 50). The paramedics did other tests while my blood pressure and heart rate slowly fell, and although they didn't dismiss my suggestion of anaphylaxis they also suggested it could be a panic attack (which I've never had before). Flush-itch symptoms showed up 20 minutes after the paramedics had left (80 minutes after ingestion).
As a research scientist (in a completely different field) I have to wonder if there is systematic under-reporting of hypERtensive allergic reactions due to the fact that the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis do not currently include hypERtension, and there is no corresponding diagnosis for "allergic reactions with hypERtension".
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15842228
[2] https://www.aaaai.org//anaphylaxis-hypertension
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articleshttps://adclick.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/click?xai=AKAOjsu-g8r9oCGLf_6njwHG4_aGrWpGS6lki5aFnN4siJnBoaXMNMQL2pqXIN-w29ERqi87R_8eETYWSyIEsFwMG-v_wWWwnWEBHtqAFk6yxFG__XHBW8ziKboCSEFAkgHUyio9lpBvB0oSUOEtDDTou7Tg4fRX06l28iYgAhGudOAXOHcSAavZDQK4IE2JEasHtE_YpFth3_xME4r14gNZzJGDI6Ug6AP2xi51bRF5SxX6HI1pTGOBbC_T6pnbX3DNFELYPRrEp3-6GbWwUaSO5KK0Op3rT5d_mI96e6qKceuM8EbFqGuLbrLePgA-d4LTj-vKz9Dx2qn6O-c7-goNk61saLXdicdp0RaprjMlYta85bbEDS1ma42BFBcA-RndvmSIo5OZPrqUTfQAuHWweTxf5igWXNJcJrqkvjfDCnDI_XgO3SgXHA-rUa4ZTgDLVCH8sPkQoyOBwRU-RviFLeUKzV_abBVP89hYnkdbebYciLJlKE8_SQEzZsBs6t4vbCz1IhDodzTbLXZ46baGbT1K0lFgUDebldioRkVs8l8XijvoBJtROxcfOv17HrF6KsjmI8jx8--Zae3sFcYSI1drF4KmQiHglamH4ZUvnJptuu3rdm0e70sEBk6zx1-QNtkwmiQUcRvr_-42g1fhb6hykyKgdyDgohbRumJpc-Kh9Dwk7gh_jUzTSrmcGX7Tj4RPEJ3G0Yr3Gq0ujuudCZ5aCzpvmVZsIicMwVml2OKx8HAoHpgsRi3fwzMSR6JTaI7-jdUMc_2vUK4s7DrDobwNSJL1P9li9svsFjaFWV3MgwYDA9fqPvjz4zyEwphm7gclSNWZTTGY96FnJYCtRjdHONpb35cCTsz1nona1UrJTewPphEm0oLnu1i_SY6mdRTF6SkWwApVTZORq1C6jcShKv9xijuxFg&sai=AMfl-YTEOaUrxQEadUNP-vgW006wGO1-puv81_-ReTl7s8HIMnp__-jvr_dzmSHGo0x2w3C3KV794FuWmzXql45BY3-4rcjZpQpX2qEbgsumCaYDDj90SpDCJKh2Zx9hylX-RpW8&sig=Cg0ArKJSzDhCyyMaeTee&urlfix=1&adurl=https://www.zyrtec.com/savings%3Futm_medium%3Ddisplay-static%26utm_source%3Dcadreon%26utm_term%3D211144858%26utm_content%3Dzyrtecdsave4spring2018%26utm_campaign%3Dus_zyrtecd_2018zyrtecd/PMC4970985/
[4] http://www.eaaci.org/attachments/Anaphylaxis%20guidelines%20Draft%204.5%202013%2006%20.pdf
Reference [3] is PMC4970985. I don't know why all that extra gobbledegook got inserted. Reference [2] is missing a term too, but Google what's there and you'll find it.
I'm glad I found these posts. I was recently admitted for afib, and am now on Flecainide and Dilziatem to control it. So I have been watching both my pulse and blood pressure ( sometimes incessantly )
A few times recently after eating I felt a little dizzy, so of course checked my BP and went into panic. It is normally around 117/79 or even less. Then one day after feeling this way I checked it. This was right after dinner, and before taking my evening dose Flecainide. My pulse was 77 and my BP was 142/95 it scared the hell out of me. Then later on in about an hour or two, it went back down to normal. I almost had someone take me to emergency. I told my cardiologist, and he put me on a holter monitor. 'Then today I had a stress test. I won't get the results for awhile. However this post makes me feel a bit less panicky.
A few times recently after eating I felt a little dizzy, so of course checked my BP and went into panic. It is normally around 117/79 or even less. Then one day after feeling this way I checked it. This was right after dinner, and before taking my evening dose Flecainide. My pulse was 77 and my BP was 142/95 it scared the hell out of me. Then later on in about an hour or two, it went back down to normal. I almost had someone take me to emergency. I told my cardiologist, and he put me on a holter monitor. 'Then today I had a stress test. I won't get the results for awhile. However this post makes me feel a bit less panicky.
Hi,
I have high blood pressure too. What Bloke1981 has explained is entirely true. In april 2009 I was rushed to the ER for a rapid heartrate after eating, 133 bpm. After ondergoing several test I was diagnosed (may 2009) with mild mitral valve prolapse with mild regurgitation. Since then I am on beta blockers, Nebivolol (Bystolic) for tachycardia. before that my resting heartrate was around 80/90. Now my heart rate is around 55-70. After two months of taking the med I am very happy beacuse I do not get the rapid heartrate anymore after eating and my high blood presure is also under control.
My message to you is: Do not panic. A bloodpressure of 142/95 is not normal but it is not dangerous after eating. Been there a lot of times. I will suggest that you discuss this with your dr. Also watch yor diet, cut back on sodium, exercise, drink a lot of water, use supllement like magnesium etc.
I wish you al the best,
Amethyst
I have high blood pressure too. What Bloke1981 has explained is entirely true. In april 2009 I was rushed to the ER for a rapid heartrate after eating, 133 bpm. After ondergoing several test I was diagnosed (may 2009) with mild mitral valve prolapse with mild regurgitation. Since then I am on beta blockers, Nebivolol (Bystolic) for tachycardia. before that my resting heartrate was around 80/90. Now my heart rate is around 55-70. After two months of taking the med I am very happy beacuse I do not get the rapid heartrate anymore after eating and my high blood presure is also under control.
My message to you is: Do not panic. A bloodpressure of 142/95 is not normal but it is not dangerous after eating. Been there a lot of times. I will suggest that you discuss this with your dr. Also watch yor diet, cut back on sodium, exercise, drink a lot of water, use supllement like magnesium etc.
I wish you al the best,
Amethyst
1 Comments
I am glad to I read these posts because every time I eat my bp goes up, I have had high blood pressure since I was 17 years old am now 69 years old, my blood pressure has went all the way up to 246/161, I went to the er they got it down to about 159/93 but a couple of hours after I got home it went right back up to about 198/132. I went back to er they go it back down and sent me back home never getting it down to normal I am on three types of blood pressure medication and none o them seem to work I have tied every thing under the sun to try to get my blood pressure to normal, right now my blood pressure is 196/98 It be over an hour since I have eaten before I ate my blood pressure was 176/83. I don't know what to do any more I think the doctors are tiered o f me coming to the er so much they act a little snobby with me now.
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