low heart rate/high blood pressure

[leokola]

I do not take meds for blood pressure or heart problems.  My heart rate has always been naturally low--resting 45. My blood pressure has also usually been low --100/60.  But recently my blood pressure has been 140 while my heart rate has stayed the same (about 50 in the doctor's office).  I recently lost vision in one eye, and the doppler of my carotid was normal; but that's when they discovered the high BP.  Is this a sign of anything wrong?
56 year healthy female

[dolfnlvr]

An unexplained increase in blood pressure is always a cause for interest.  Your doctor is probably ordering several tests to be sure that all is well.  I think that the biggest concern right now is the loss of vision in your eye.  While a clear carotid is a very good sign, I'm sure your doctor would like to order a CAT or MRI scan to rule out any other signs of stroke.  It could be that you had an optical migraine, or a small blood clot.  Or there could be something more serious going on.  It may be that this oddity in your life will pass you by and you will never know what the cause was.

It is possible that the concern you have over these issues has helped to increase your BP, but it is not likely the sole source of a 40 point rise.  I'm sure your doctor will continue to monitor your BP and will run tests to rule out common and/or dangerous causes.  Once these have been ruled out, h/she may recommend pharmaceutical intervention (meds.)

Take care.  

[dolfnlvr]

By the way...there are numerous reasons for loss of vision, but no matter what the cause...you would have been scared out of your mind during a carotid doppler (worry etc) and that could easily have raised your BP.  Have you been monitored under "normal" conditions since then?

[leokola]

Thanks for all these ideas.  I don't think fear elevated my BP because I had an 80-minute wait prior the exam during which I napped quite a bit; also, the BP was taken at the end of the 30-minute exam, lying down, after I watched the doppler and he told me everything looked really clear.  The tech was surprised as I was about the BP, especially since he commented five times about my low heart-rate during the exam.  The mystery continues...I'm hoping for option #6--this oddity with the loss of vision and spike in bp will never recur!   leokola