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26Jul 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
Refusing Hypertension Pills? Read This

Refusing Hypertension Pills? Read This

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Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH- Research has shown for years that even a tiny improvement in taking blood pressure medications as prescribed can lead to low blood pressure to keep you from a heart attack, stroke, etc. In 2003, the World Health Organization declared inadequate medication adherence as the most important modifiable thing you could do to manage hypertension and other chronic diseases. By 2016, they Lancet Commission on Hypertension had a call to action and a life-course strategy to target the global burden of high blood pressure on current and future generations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXE3SO05hxw However, many people with hypertension do not want to take blood pressure medication, which has been labeled as medication non-adherence. Others like me, over 50 and do not have hypertension, will do what it…
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30Jun 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
Blood Pressure Medication Taking: Splitting the Dose or Not

Blood Pressure Medication Taking: Splitting the Dose or Not

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Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH- Blood Pressure Medication Taking: Splitting the Dose or Not. One of my Facebook friends had an interesting question she asked" "For those on nefedipine xr 60 mg..do you take one (30 mg) pill in the morning and one at night or do you take them both at the same time..also, how long did it take for you to see an improvement with this med?" I told her "It's best to take it how it's prescribed (i.e., depends on how your doctor wrote the prescription). It makes a difference." She said, "He had me on one pill a day ..but at my follow up..he said to go up to 60 mgs...I've been taking both ( 30 mg) tablets at once, but my mom said…
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14Apr 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
PPI’s, Vitamin B12 Deficiency, & Anemia

PPI’s, Vitamin B12 Deficiency, & Anemia

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Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH- Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI's) are medications that are commonly prescribed by health care providers. They are used to treat gastric or acid reflux also known as GERD. Two of the most common types of PPIs prescribed are Protonix (Pantoprazole) and Omeprazole. Long-term use of PPI's might cause vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause anemia. Therefore, ask your doctor or health care provider if you are at risk for anemia and if you need to supplement with B12. A simple blood test called a complete blood count can be useful to determine if you are B12 deficient. Vitamin B12 Deficiency https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVc5Ho8dod0
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17Mar 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
How to Tell If You Have Obstructive Sleep Apnea

How to Tell If You Have Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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by Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH- Ever wondered how to tell if you have obstructive sleep apnea? I must admit, during my postdoctoral training in 2011 was my first encounter with a patient diagnosed with sleep apnea. Don't get me wrong, I had learned about the condition during my education at the university. Yet, in practice, I had never encountered a patient with it, and I could not tell if I had it. https://youtu.be/ntYVhRpnT0c Some experts think that the obesity epidemic has increased the number of people suffering from this disease. However, alcohol, smoking, sleeping pills, and hypothyroidism could also put you at risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men between the age of 50 and 60. Your health care professional can…
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08Mar 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
Can High Blood Sugar Increase Your Blood Pressure?

Can High Blood Sugar Increase Your Blood Pressure?

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by Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH Can high blood sugar increase your blood pressure? Heck yeah, but how or why? Your doctor already told you that you need to reduce your salt intake to help control your blood pressure. It seems that not many people know that they need to reduce their sugar intake as well. Here is how sugar increase your blood pressure: Sugar increases your uric acid level which blocks your body's ability to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels, which reduces your blood pressure. Without enough nitric oxide, your blood vessels will stiffen causing an increase in your blood pressure. Too much sugar causes you to store excess sugar as fat leading to excessive weight gain. Excessive weight gain leads to you…
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06Mar 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
COVID UPDATE: RATES & DEATHS ARE DOWN

COVID UPDATE: RATES & DEATHS ARE DOWN

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by Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, FNP, MPH So, is COVID-19 pandemic over with? Tim Spector, a scientist, seems to think not according to his ZOE data. If you don't know, the ZOE COVID-19 app gives us data in real-time. Join the Zoe study at this link: https://joinzoe.com/how-it-works There are 8 days until you would get a negative COVID-19 after testing positive. The best time to test is a day or two after COVID-19 symptoms. Some experts think that PCR testing is almost useless in managing COVID-19 due to the delay in testing results. The top five Omicron symptoms are runny nose, headache, sore throat, fatigue, and sneezing. More to come...
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09Feb 2022 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
Considering Stopping Your Blood Pressure Medications? Read This

Considering Stopping Your Blood Pressure Medications? Read This

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Today I read on Facebook that a Facebook friend was considering stopping her blood pressure medication on her own. She is reaching out to her Facebook friends to find out if anybody has stopped their medications on their own. She wants to find out if others considered stopping their medications. She also wants to know what happened to them when they stopped their medications. She said that she was having side effects from her medication and she was fed up. Apparently, she thinks that her medication is causing her to shake and startle and it's disturbing her sleep. The Facebook friend is also having panic attacks and she has needed anxiety medication to get her through the night and prevent her from going to the emergency room. She said her…
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The opinions expressed are meant for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Consult your doctor or health provider for medical advice. The views expressed in this blog are my own and not those of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Veterans Affairs, or any other entity. I have an anti-spam policy and would never share your personal information. This site contains affiliate links for some products I recommend that I know are useful. If you purchase those products, I may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you. Thanks in advance for your support!
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