Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Anxiety And Elevated Blood Pressure Levels?
Question: I recently went to the emergency room due to numbness in my right leg. It started about 4am, I woke up with this dead weight heavy feeling in one leg, like my blood circulation was being cut off in my right leg. I eventually went back to sleep and woke up a few hours later with the same mild sensation I had. I went to the emergency room because my wife and I were concerned it may be a blood clot. While at the hospital emergency room they ran an EKG, blood test and determined that my D Dimer level was 600. They diagnosed me then with ITA Transient ischemic attack (TIA, Mini-Stroke) They immediately took X-rays of my leg to see if there were any clots, this came back negative. They then took X-rays of my lungs and that as well returned negative results for any clots. They also took an X-ray of my brain and that as well came back ok. They admitted me because they wanted to run further test and have me seen by a nuerologist. The nuerologist ordered an MRI and CTScan of my head and arteries in my kneck and that as well came back negative. No signs of stroke or clots. My blood pressure while in the hospital ranged from 134/88 - 144/81 since being released I have been very anxious and concerned. From what I have read about ITA and D Dimer it has basically caused me to have anxiety and elevated blood pressure. What are your thoughts and advise? Just looking for further opinions and advise. I feel ok now just a slight headache and a bit weak but other than I'm ok. Must of what I'm feeling now is nervousness and anxiety, everytime I take my blood pressure and its higher than anything I've ever had I'm concerned.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Judging from your description it is obvious that the doctors who took care of you have been very thorough. They seem to have done all the necessary tests leaving nothing to chance.
Right now I think the symptoms you have are due to the anxiety it has caused. You should relax and remember that the MRI came back normal which shows there was no brain damage at all, no consequences at all on your physical abilities.
If your blood pressure readings are consistently high then you should contact your physician in order to initiate treatment, but it is fully manageable do not worry. There are many medications around (perhaps a beta blocker would be suitable as it might help with anxiety as well).
As for the D-dimer levels I wouldn't attach much of a significance to it, it is close to normal and when there is thrombosis it usually is much much higher to that. I am not even that convinced you have had a TIA actually, doesn't usually present with a lower limb deficit, not an isolated one at least. So it is pretty atypical for a TIA, but perhaps I as your doctors would call it that simply for the lack of a better explanation and for there not being a test to show TIA, it is defined by the normality of the imaging tests.
You should try to return to previous life, naturally trying to follow a healthy lifestyle through exercising and a healthy mediterranean diet. You have no neurological deficit to prevent you from doing that really and exercise would help with anxiety and blood pressure as well.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Judging from your description it is obvious that the doctors who took care of you have been very thorough. They seem to have done all the necessary tests leaving nothing to chance.
Right now I think the symptoms you have are due to the anxiety it has caused. You should relax and remember that the MRI came back normal which shows there was no brain damage at all, no consequences at all on your physical abilities.
If your blood pressure readings are consistently high then you should contact your physician in order to initiate treatment, but it is fully manageable do not worry. There are many medications around (perhaps a beta blocker would be suitable as it might help with anxiety as well).
As for the D-dimer levels I wouldn't attach much of a significance to it, it is close to normal and when there is thrombosis it usually is much much higher to that. I am not even that convinced you have had a TIA actually, doesn't usually present with a lower limb deficit, not an isolated one at least. So it is pretty atypical for a TIA, but perhaps I as your doctors would call it that simply for the lack of a better explanation and for there not being a test to show TIA, it is defined by the normality of the imaging tests.
You should try to return to previous life, naturally trying to follow a healthy lifestyle through exercising and a healthy mediterranean diet. You have no neurological deficit to prevent you from doing that really and exercise would help with anxiety and blood pressure as well.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for your response. Should I have any concern with hidden blood clots? I definitly think alot of my symptoms now are anxiety related however I still feel a need to be careful. You have definitly provided me a since of relieve, I may be able to get a better nights rest tonight. Lastly, ive read that a TIA is a warning sign to a major stroke thats lurking and potentially possible very soon thereafter suffering from a TIA. What are hour thoughts about this? Thank you so mich again.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
The sources you have read are completely correct, a TIA can be a premonitory sign of stroke. If you only had a TIA and not any other exam I would have told you to run at the hospital as you are at risk of having a stroke and need to be tested for causes such as heart arrhythmia, atherosclerotic plaques in your neck vessels, venous thrombosis in your leg etc, the common origins of stroke.
What makes me tell you instead to be relaxed is that you have already have had all the tests for these issues. So since these sources of stroke have been excluded the percentage of risk is very low (as I said it makes me wonder even if it was a real TIA). Whether the risk is non existent....no it is not, that is why I advised care regarding lifestyle and blood pressure. But it is very very low, your young age makes it even less likely, that is why I am still telling you to go on with your life.
I hope to have been of help.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
The sources you have read are completely correct, a TIA can be a premonitory sign of stroke. If you only had a TIA and not any other exam I would have told you to run at the hospital as you are at risk of having a stroke and need to be tested for causes such as heart arrhythmia, atherosclerotic plaques in your neck vessels, venous thrombosis in your leg etc, the common origins of stroke.
What makes me tell you instead to be relaxed is that you have already have had all the tests for these issues. So since these sources of stroke have been excluded the percentage of risk is very low (as I said it makes me wonder even if it was a real TIA). Whether the risk is non existent....no it is not, that is why I advised care regarding lifestyle and blood pressure. But it is very very low, your young age makes it even less likely, that is why I am still telling you to go on with your life.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
