What are your numbers?

New Research...

eurekalert.org/pub_releases...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I have to say - this does seem a bit like reinventing the wheel! We say repeatedly that one of the adverse effects of long term steroids is raised BP and it should be checked - it has been known for a very long time. Perhaps they did a literature search and didn't find the ancient research (i.e. pre about 1995) which won't be in the online literature searches. I see it all the time in the field my husband worked in all his academic life.

On the other hand - maybe some GPs will see it and realise that they SHOULD be checking their steroid patients' BPs regularly. Because these days they don't.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

My bp was always low even through pregnancy but no one had checked at my gp surgery for over s year but after an out patient appt a few weeks ago found it raised i got called in to be tested. Result is yes its high and i need to monitor it for a day next week. Wonder how long its been high?!!YBB

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Sorry, if this is old news... I just thought there might be perhaps some new members, who were not aware this.

The Canadian Medical Association Journal, just published the results of a new study... perhaps they were just validating old findings.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

It was the research not being particularly original I was talking about - seems a strange thing to have been looking at when it is a well-known adverse effect of corticosteroids.

[Fifegran]

I have only had my blood pressure checked once since the beginning of my journey on steroids in 2018, and that was by a locum when my doctor was unavailable. She said it was on the ‘high side’ and made a note in my records so my usual doctor would check it on my next visit. That didn’t happen, it was never mentioned and, to be honest, I forgot to ask about it. By the way, my doctor

is the Senior member of the Practice!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Fifegran]

It wouldn't be so bad if they suggested to the patient they could maybe get their own BP cuff - we have one but it is something of an afterthought to use it except after there's been a problem

[Telian in reply to PMRpro]

In our GP Surgery there is an easy to use wall mounted BP machine you put your arm into - it gives a readout ticket and you hand it to reception who record it. If there’s a problem you would get a call if you hadn’t an appointment booked. The message on the machine is if you haven’t had you BP checked within a certain time scaly your are to get it done. You can go in any time - well before now you could.....

[maria40 in reply to Telian]

I usually use the machine when I have a GP appointment and take the slip in with me which prompts them to check the measurement. I've not been above 'normal range' yet but do take beta blockers for SVT .

[Hidden in reply to Fifegran]

My husband is on high blood pressure meds and the several times he's gone to the GP for other things, they don't even check his pressure! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

I know - it used to be a basic thing, BP for most patients but always for any patient where it was relevant. Seems a lot of doctors think they are above it! Hence my hope they might see this paper! It isn't even as if it takes time out of the consultation because you should be assessing other things at the same time.

[HeronNS]

Mine had always been low and started to get higher. My doctor seemed unconcerned but I think that was because she had not been my doctor before PMR, our old doctor having retired not long before, so she had no real understanding of my previous rather uneventful medical history. However, since I started adding salt to my food my blood pressure has got normal again. Seems counterintuitive, but there you are!

[Rimmy]

Thanks M - I actually wasn't aware of this 'long term' relationship - it is/was probably in the huge list of 'possible' Pred side effects - how many was it last look - 83 or something like that !!? I think I read the FULL list one time only and decided that would do or I'd likely talk myself into at least the half I wouldn't eventually get and 'life' would be going on (hopefully) anyway in the meantime. Now of course this sounds like a rather 'salient' aspect as high blood pressure is also somewhere 'high' on the COVID 'extra risk' list too !! Now I am ticking MORE & MORE of those 'morbid boxes'.

I do have (somewhere) a BP machine which I can check in with BUT it never seemed appropriately or closely enough calibrated with any doctor I've been to and it was purportedly advertised as a 'good ' or accurate one - maybe THEIRS (our 'reliable' doctors that is) were wrong or I maybe I have a bad case of 'white coat syndrome' . Anyway I have clearly become somewhat blase about that aspect of my health as I now have images of myself as a building inadvertently losing its front door while the ceiling caves in - so probably 'no hope' for me now (LOL!!)

XX

[Hidden]

I was on two b/p meds for 20 + years before pmr and pred. Now both are double in dosage and added a third med. This post is a good reminder to get out my home sphygmomanometer and check it. Fortunately my gp has stayed on top of this. Seems a good idea for anyone on pred to watch b/p.

[nuigini]

Gosh, BP was one of the things most highly monitored when I was diagnosed and put on prednisone. At the start I had moderately high BP which slowly skyrocketed and resulted in 2 types of medication. It came down as the pred dose came down and meds were adjusted accordingly. During all this time (6 years) I monitored my own BP at home on a regular basis because I have horrific "white coat syndrome". I took a summary of home results to my medical appointments.

After 6 years on prednisone I'm on a very low dose of a single BP medication and BP is under control. If anything it runs on the low side of normal. I also suffer from a great deal of fatigue which I think could mean my failing adrenals are affecting BP.