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27Feb 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Can You Prevent Kidney Failure If You Have Resistant Hypertension?

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Can you prevent kidney failure if you have resistant hypertension? Resistant hypertension is high blood pressure that is difficult to control on two medication requiring 3 different classes of blood pressure medication (usually including a water pill called a diuretic). Most times resistant hypertension can be controlled with the 3 classes of antihypertensive medication. The simple answer is that it depends. Certainly you can prevent kidney failure that occurs due to uncontrolled resistant hypertension by keeping your blood pressure controlled. You see the problem with most kidney failure is the damage that is done to the kidneys' filter also know as the glomerulus. If you want to prevent kidney failure or further damage to your kidneys, you have to protect the filter. Your kidneys filter your blood to get waste…

14Feb 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

The Best Tool You Will Need for Blood Pressure Control!

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The Best Tool You Will Need for Blood Pressure Control! Blood Pressure Monitoring is essential for everybody but especially for people who are resistant to take blood pressure medication or people who's blood pressure is difficult to control. Blood pressure is dynamic and it varies. However, blood pressure should vary within the normal target goal blood pressure. Researches developed new hypertension guidelines that have set new controlled target goals blood pressure. In addition to monitoring in the medical clinic, the new guidelines says that blood pressure less than 120/80 mm Hg is the target goal for the average person 55 years old or older. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skwzoadqYTM In 2015, researchers compared blood pressure taken by medical office staff with blood pressures taken by hypertension clinic experts. Poor blood pressure technique was found,…

13Feb 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Potassium: Do You Have Enough?

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Are you feeling tired, having chest palpitation, or muscle cramps in your legs? Why am I asking you these questions, and what would bananas have to do with these symptoms? I am glad you asked. Potassium deficiency might be an indication for primary aldosteronism. People with resistant hypertension commonly have low potassium. Primary Aldosteronism is a particular type of resistant hypertension that may require Spironaldactone, which could correct the low potassium level. See video below for the definition, and details about this diagnosis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM-9hhKRAzc The hormone aldosterone is released from the adrenal glands, WHICH are on top of each kidney. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system regulates blood pressure by regulating renin, angiotensin, aldosterone hormones. High levels of aldosterone cause an increase in sodium and decrease potassium levels. This change in the…

06Feb 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

University of Alabama Preventive Medicine HealthSmart

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The American Heart Association's Get to Goal Program Every Wednesday - 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Dr. Tonya Breaux-Shropshire is here to help you eliminate high blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular health. She is an adjunct faculty member of the School of Nursing and Fellow in the Vascular Biology and Hypertension Program in the Department of Medicine at UAB. Dr. Shropshire joins UAB HealthSmart to facilitate the Get to Goal™ program and: This program is a Health Equity and Multicultural Initiative designed to close the racial disparity gap in the treatment of high blood pressure. Please call 205.996.2304 to make an appointment. Provide blood pressure screenings and healthy lifestyle messagingTeach how to monitor your blood pressureProvide community resources to help manage your blood pressureTeach you to enter your readings…

01Feb 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Is Your Blood Pressure Controlled? Why NOT?

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Why are so many people walking around with HIGH blood pressure? Research has shown that only about 50% of Americans diagnosed with hypertension have controlled blood pressure. We suspect that barriers such as lack of access to medical care and medication, medication cost, poor medication adherence, physician inertia, and other issues must be considered. In the United States, there are 20.7% of adults with resistant hypertension. Of this group with resistant hypertension, between 6.2-8.4% of adults have failed hypertension treatment. These adults have refractory hypertension and are at higher risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes such as stroke, heart attack, etc. People with resistant hypertension ARE MORE LIKELY OBESE, OLDER, AFRICAN AMERICAN, and HAVE CO-MORBITIES (DIABETES, CHRONIIC KIDNEY DISEASE, OR ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE). Lifestyle Modification and Hypertension Dr. Greger has a…

28Jan 2019 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire

Podcast Introduction-Hypertension Resistant To Treatment

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I created this podcast to help educate, train, and support people struggling with high blood pressure. In the first three episodes, I will give you one of the first steps in blood pressure control, tell you one of the most important things you can do to control your blood pressure, and give you the two essential tools you need for better blood pressure control.

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