Any medical professionals here?

CleoKitty

If so, I've got a question for you about high blood pressure...

BubblyToes

I can try to help you.  Whatcha got?

Goose51504

I'm not one IRL, but I play one on TV. Plus, I had BP issues in my first pregnancy, so I might be able to help.

CleoKitty

We've been gone for over a week and MIL has been staying with a friend. Turns out that while we were gone MIL had a fall and broke her collarbone. Also, her blood pressure has been ridiculously high the entire time we've been gone.

Last night it was 213/96. I called her doctor who told me to give her a double dose of her blood pressure medicine (DILT-CD 180 mg). This morning it is down a little to 196/86 (this was taken before she even got out of bed this morning.) We're supposed to give her a double dose again today and she has an appt with the doctor tomorrow.

I have two main concerns:

1. Her blood pressure has been like this for over a week and she has already had three strokes. Is she at a much greater liklihood of having another one right now? 

2. (And this is a good question for you, Bubbly.) A few months ago we ended up in the hospital with her due to very high potassium levels. As a result she was taken off of her other two blood pressure medications (Cozaar and Spironolactone). Because of the potassium issues and her kidneys on their way to being shot will they be able to prescribe her anything else for her blood pressure? Or will giving her more blood pressure medications, especially ACE inhibitors, make the potassium issue a concern again?

jorie

I can try to help.  PM me if you want.

vtgirl

I am not but I am guessing we missed you and jeebus coming through VT huh?! I am sad I ddin't get to meet you guys- but I hope you enjoyed your trip!

BubblyToes

I think they need to put her on a different diuretic that is going to eliminate some of the potassium, one like Lasix.  They need to keep her on the diltiazem.  ACE inhibitors, while protecting her kidneys to a point, are going to cause her to hang on to potassium.

Goose51504

Wow. That's scary. The same thing is going on with my grandmother right now. She actually had a series of TIAs, so she's in the hospital being monitored. Laying down, her BP got as high as 200/140, which is just crazy.

I'd say, unfortunately, as long as her BP remains high like that, she is at risk of another stroke or at least a TIA. Is your MIL retaining a lot of fluid? That was one of my grandmother's issues, which contributed to the HBP. They gave her lasix, which has helped. Does your MIL have kidney disease?

I'll let Bubbs answer the meds question. The thing about BP and potassium is that if you bring one down, the other can go up. And, of course, high potassium levels can cause "stroke-like" symptoms, which is also scary. My father had this issue on occasion, primarily b/c of his anti-rejection medications (liver transplant). We thought he had a stroke shortly after his surgery, but it was actually high potassium. Once they regulated his meds, he was okay.

Surely, there has to be a way for the doctors to regulate her BP, but not increase her potassium levels too much.

I'm sorry you're going through this. HBP scares the bejeebus out of me. I hope she feels better soon!