Rebound Hypertension   March 2025 Blood pressure control and management looks different for everyone. This is because everyone is at differing stages of health and has unique circumstances that contribute to their blood pressure. Changes in blood pressure often come with the need for changes in medications. Some patients may experience episodes of rebound hypertension. This is when the blood pressure spikes after decreasing or stopping medications that regulate your blood pressure. The Case of John Smith John Smith is a gentleman that is nearing retirement and has worked hard to maintain his good health over the years. Despite leading an active lifestyle and making health conscious decisions, he was diagnosed with hypertension several years ago. He has worked closely with his doctor to find the right combination of medications to keep his systolic blood pressure averaging in the 120-130 range. Several weeks ago, John noticed that his blood pressure had spiked into the 180s and promptly took his rescue medication to lower his blood pressure. While the medication worked, he noticed that he experienced several more spikes in his readings, leading to the same cycle of needing rescue medications. He notified his doctor about what he was experiencing, this led to a discussion about rebound hypertension. In John's case, the rebound hypertension was occurring when his rescue medications wore off and stopped working. The Case of Jerry Williams Jerry Williams has been leading a relatively healthy life, even though she was diagnosed with hypertension several years ago. Since her diagnosis, she has been successfully managing her blood pressure with medications. In an effort to improve her health even further, Jerry has been working hard to monitor and reduce her sodium intake as well as walk more each day. Since making these changes, Jerry has started to experience some dizziness and lightheadedness. These symptoms started to appear when her blood pressure started to trend in the 100s. When she spoke with her nephrologist about the changes she was experiencing, they decided to stop taking her blood pressure medications. After several days, Jerry found that her blood pressure was back to the 150s most days.  How do we Handle Their Changes? In the cases of John and Jerry, both patients experienced rebound hypertension for different reasons. What does rebound hypertension tell us about each of these patients? - In John's case, his previously well managed blood pressure has been running above normal. His rescue medications bring his blood pressure back to normal temporarily but has not fixed the problem. This indicates that his regular medications need to be increased to maintain control of his hypertension. Increasing his medications means he needs his rescue medications less often. - Jerry made good choices that complemented her blood pressure medications and allowed her to be able to reduce her medications. However when her medications were stopped, it was too much of a change. The dosage she was previously on was too much, but zero medication was too little. The elevated readings show that she needs some medications but at a lower dose. Additional Resources Websites, Articles, and/or Videos Mayo Clinic: Hypertension Cleveland Clinic World Health Organiztion Blog Posts Rebound Hypertension A Blood Pressure Case Study Factors that Affect Blood Pressure Community Events Jax Beach Arts Market 7 Creeks Fest Natural Life Music Festival Still Have Questions? We love to empower through education. Click on the button below to visit our website to get answers to some common questions, previous education topics, as well as other helpful resources. Learn More Patient Care Coordinator Samantha is a dedicated team member who will work side by side with you to help manage your care via our RPM program. Contacting your Team Phone: (904) 260-9898 Fax: (904) 260-9891 Email: [email protected] Address: 13241 Bartram Park Blvd Suite 1001 Jacksonville, FL 32258 www.jaxnephrology.com Designed with Beefree