Steriod Levels

Out of curiousity does anyone know at what sort of level /usage of steriods for asthma can cause a problem with diabetes and high blood pressure.... Thanks

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The diabetes thing it is entirely random. Nearly 5 years of continious pred and I am still <touch wood> not having any problems with diabetes yet I have a friend who has been on pred for 9 months and is now on insulin tablets.

From what I recall being told the side effects of pred strike randomly I have oestoporosis diagnosed after a year on pred, others are having no problems bone wise after years of taking the little red pills.

I don't recall pred causing high blood pressure but as pred can be blamed for all the ills of the world including England losing on penalties in major football competition

Bex

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Hi Bex

Thanks for the quick reply.....

I guess the high blood pressure is to many GP/Hospital visits...

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Hey Bex and Malawi,

Just a quickie... steroids are thought to cause a rise in blood pressure and can result in a diagnosis of hypertension.

This is thought to be due to the sodium retention by the kidney and therefore a dose related degree of water retention and volume expansion, which causes the increase in blood pressure.

The effect is varied from individual to individual, and also varies dependant on the steroid used... hydrocortisone being one of the most prone, and dexamethasone, triamcinolone (such as used in IM Kenalog), betamethasone in our trusty becotide inhalers... all are generally found to have a lower incidence /degree of hypertension.

Hope that helps..will possibly post something about the mechanism of the effect of steroids on glucose metabolism and diabetes after I've had some sleep!

KSD