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16Apr 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Apparent Resistant Hypertension: What You Need to Know

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So, your hypertension is being treated with several blood pressure medications, BUT your blood pressure is STILL not controlled. Why? You might have apparent resistant hypertension. What is this all about? Apparent resistant hypertension should be ruled out in order to treat resistant hypertension aggressively as soon as possible for the best possible result. Here, I will define hypertension, resistant hypertension, refractory hypertension, and apparent resistant hypertension. Then, I will give two brief scenarios that might sound confusing. But, I will try to emphasize that it is VERY important for you to reveal three things to your health care provider: 1) Your true blood pressure measurement because high blood pressure may be due to inaccurate blood pressure measurements FROM poor technique 2) The EXACT medication you are taking, especially if…

15Apr 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Resistant Hypertension: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

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Resistant Hypertension (Difficult To Treat Hypertension) Resistant hypertension is high blood pressure that is difficult to treat. Not taking medication as prescribed can cause resistant hypertension. Old age, obesity, and co-morbities ARE the most common causes of hypertension resistant to treatment. Watch this brief video (4:08 minutes) below to learn more about resistant hypertension. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwhwh1ONLhk Who is likely to has resistant hypertension? People who are obese, older age, African American, and people who have co-morbities such as diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Resistant Hypertension Treatment Only your health care provider can diagnose resistant hypertension. Resistant hypertension must be confirmed with home blood measurements to rule out apparent resistant hypertension. To assure the diagnoses is not due to poor blood pressure measurement, white coat syndrome, or under treatment, self-refer to…

11Apr 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Resistant Hypertension & ANA Testing

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Resistant Hypertension: Why Test For Lupus? I do not know much about lupus, but I do know about resistant hypertension. Nevertheless, recently I have learned that there is an association between resistant hypertension and lupus. Research findings have indicated that people with lupus are more likely to have resistant hypertension. It is important to be tested for lupus if you have resistant hypertension because treatment for lupus MIGHT BE NEEDED. What is Resistant Hypertension? Resistant Hypertension is hypertension that is resistant to treatment. In 2008, resistant hypertension was defined in the American Hypertension Association Scientific Statement. This statement was deemed the first to define resistant hypertension as difficult to treat controlled or uncontrolled hypertension. Further, three to four medications of different classes including a water pill (diuretic) is the definition…

09Apr 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Resistant Hypertension, Kidney Disease, & Vitamin D

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In my recent post about vitamin D deficiency, I briefly mentioned the role of vitamin D deficiency in resistant hypertension and chronic kidney disease. I will tell you everything you need to know including why you should consider it and the recommended dose. Vitamin D deficiency INFLUENCES the progression of hypertension to resistant hypertension and the progression of chronic kidney disease. This is because vitamin D affects the renin angiotensin aldosterome system and can decrease the production of renin. Therefore, vitamin D decreases blood pressure. Renin is an enzyme that is released by your kidneys to regulate your blood pressure. It controls your blood volume, and therefore, it controls your level of blood pressure. More on this in up coming posts. Vitamin D also decreased protein in your urine. This…

02Apr 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Hypertension Support Group

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Undoubtedly, many people have found peer support to be useful in helping them improve their blood pressure. Need education and support to get your blood pressure at goal? I created the Circulation Network especially for this reason. The Circulation Network meets every first Tuesday of each month at noon. The group meets in the West Pavilion Conference Center Room C. During the meetings, people get support to obtain their goal blood pressure goal. Strategies are explored to overcome barriers to control blood pressure. Resources are also discovered to help attendees and their family members get to goal blood pressure. Who Should Attend The Circulation Network? The UAB Circulation Network is a free support group for faculty, staff and family members who have high blood pressure. Particularly, people with resistant hypertension…

25Mar 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

What Vitamins To Consider To Reduce Resistant Hypertension?

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While I am not giving you medical advice, there are vitamins I want you to consider TO HELP REDUCE YOUR RESISTANT BLOOD PRESSURE. Ask your doctor if you need supplementation with vitamins that have been shown to help control blood pressure. They are vitamin D3, K2, AND MAGNESIUM. I will give you further details about these vitamins and how they help decrease blood pressure below. Resistant Hypertension and Vitamin D3 According to research, people with the lowest level of vitamin D have the highest blood pressure. Vitamin D is usually very low in African Americans and in others who do not get enough sunshine. Patients with chronic kidney disease most times have vitamin D3 deficiency. In fact, according to research found in the Archives Internal Medicine in 2009, 70%-80% of…

25Mar 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

How to Know if You Really Have Hypertension

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You must accurately measure your blood pressure to prevent a hypertension crisis. Accurately measuring your blood pressure is the most important thing to do to prevent and treat hypertension. As you know, office blood pressure measurement is the gold standard for monitoring resistant hypertension. Surprisingly, office measurements by your health care provide are not your true blood pressure. [caption id="attachment_896" align="alignnone" width="200"] Checking blood pressure[/caption] In fact, research has shown that home blood pressure monitoring is the most accurate representation of your true blood pressure. If you use a home monitor, you can partner with your health care provider to control your blood pressure. Do you know how to accurately measure your blood pressure? Hence, you will know your true blood pressure numbers if you do. In this post, I will…

15Mar 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

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Hi, I'm Dr. Tonya! I am a clinical scientist, registered nurse, and hypertension consultant (coach). I am here to help you control your blood pressure using information I learned in my training as a clinical scientist in resistant hypertension. I want to help you because I want to help eliminate uncontrolled hypertension. I have witnessed unnecessary refractory hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure due to uncontrolled resistant hypertension. I say these poor outcomes are unnecessary because most hyertension can be controlled with medication. Prior to becoming a clinical scientist and adjunct professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, I was a registered . I have served in various settings including a telemetry step down unit, emergency room, primary care clinic, and occupational health clinic. I currently work in…

06Mar 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

5 Tips and Tricks For Better Blood Pressure Control

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Are you fed up with having elevated blood pressure and have tried lifestyle modifications to get your blood pressure down without success? Did you know that almost half of Americans have trouble controlling their blood pressure despite cheap and even free well-tolerated medications available to treat elevated blood pressure? We know that hypertension must be controlled to prevent morbidity and mortality, but before the hypertension landmark trials done at Veterans Affairs Hospitals in the late 60's and early 70's, we thought that uncontrolled blood pressure was not a problem. As the story goes, due to our lack of knowledge about hypertension, many died from uncontrolled blood pressure, which is also called the "silent killer." For example, our president Franklin D. Roosevelt loss his life to a stroke after suffering from uncontrolled…

03Mar 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Welcome to Hypertension Resistant To Treatment!

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Welcome to Hypertension Resistant To Treatment! Hi I'm Dr. Tonya! I am here to help you lower your high blood pressure. In most cases, uncontrolled blood pressure causes unnecessary health problems. BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE CONTROLLED TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY HEALTH PROBLEMS. If YOU are READY TO DO WHAT IT TAKES to control your blood pressure, start with the 30 Days To A Better Blood Pressure under the Hypertension School tab. After completing this program, go to the blog which has a new post at least every week. Let's go! We hope that you enjoy my blog and podcasts. I thank you in advance for your support! Please subscribe to this blog, but most importantly, use the content to control your blood pressure and improve your health.

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