Raising awareness of high blood pressure and diabetes

[ButtterflyLady]

High blood pressure has been called the silent killer because often there are no symptoms of this condition, which can cause heart attack and stroke.

Everyone should get their blood pressure checked but especially people with risk factors such as T2 diabetes, or prediabetes, or who are overweight, or over 45, or have a family history of high BP.

NICE guidelines say T2s should have their BP checked once a year. My high BP was diagnosed in my 30s, a few years before being diagnosed with T2 (I have a family history of high BP and was overweight).

Some HCPs check BP at every visit or at least every 3-6 months. You can also buy a BP monitor to use at home.

Here is some info about high blood pressure:
http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics

 

[tim2000s]

@CatLadyNZ Not just T2s, all Diabetics should be keeping an eye on blood pressure as the additional insulin in the system of most diabetics can increase the risk of unpleasant things such as Atherosclerosis.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

@CatLadyNZ Not just T2s, all Diabetics should be keeping an eye on blood pressure as the additional insulin in the system of most diabetics can increase the risk of unpleasant things such as Atherosclerosis.

Cool, thanks for that. I wasn't sure how the condition interacted with T1 and other types.

 

[tigerlily72]

Still worried about mine and controlling my diabetes with diet only. My BP readings have been 206/109, 188/100 and when the DSN took it at my first visit it was 162/100. Now on meds after visiting the surgery a few days ago and getting the reading of over 200. Still feeling rubbish and very tired and quite down

 

[lindisfel]

Hi Tigerlilly,
Did they do bloods and check your potassium? If so do you know what it was?
regards
Derek

Still worried about mine and controlling my diabetes with diet only. My BP readings have been 206/109, 188/100 and when the DSN took it at my first visit it was 162/100. Now on meds after visiting the surgery a few days ago and getting the reading of over 200. Still feeling rubbish and very tired and quite down

 

[tigerlily72]

Hi Tigerlilly,
Did they do bloods and check your potassium? If so do you what it was?
regards
Derek

No they didn't. I do have to book an appointment for a blood test and for my BP to be checked again and to make sure the meds I'm taking are "right".

 

[lindisfel]

Hi Tigerlilly,
I had hypertension for a very long time and eventually they found out I had very high levels of the hormone aldosterone.
The net result is very high bp and often low potassium but not always. Ideally potassium should be above 4.0.
Between 1% and 10% of serious hypertensives have undiagnosed Conn's Syndrome as I have. Basically the body cannot get rid of excess sodium. Salt intolerance.
Normal bp meds do not work very well and the aldosterone antagonists spironolactone or eplerenone are used.

regards
Derek

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Hi Tigerlilly,
I had hypertension for a very long time and eventually they found out I had very high levels of the hormone aldosterone.
The net result is very high bp and often low potassium. Ideally potassium should be above 4.0.
Between 1% and 10% of serious hypertensives have undiagnosed Conn's Syndrome as I have. Basically the body cannot get rid of excess sodium. Salt intolerance.
Normal bp meds do not work very well.
regards
Derek

Similarly, some people with sleep apnoea find that BP meds don't work very well. Fortunately for me, the first BP med I tried did the trick, but if you find you need to take more than one BP med, then it's a good idea to ask for further tests, in case there is another condition affecting it. Most people seem to do fine on one BP med though.

 

[Dark Horse]

Also, high blood pressure increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy.