Long story, but if you are interested in potassium and high blood pressure, or if you have low potassium and high blood pressure, my story might be of interest to you.
At age 38 I was diagnosed with very high blood pressure. I had not been going to a doctor and was having headaches and bloody noses so it might have been going on for years. The first drug they put me on was a diuretic. They also put me on potassium after low potassium levels which is common with a diuretic.
Eventually, they also put me on a beta-blocker, a calcium channel blocker, and an ACE inhibitor. So I was getting all four BP meds and ended up at high or maximum doses. Around age 50 my potassium levels were getting very low and they kept increasing my potassium to no effect.
Primary care and cardiologist were flummoxed so they sent me for a kidney MRI. The radiologist looked at my history and decided to also check the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys so that was his call.
Turns out I had primary hyperaldosteronism which causes low potassium and high blood pressure. Not clear if it was the cause all along because I'm not sure I had my potassium checked before starting the diuretic. I saw a very good endocrinologist who had tests done to confirm the MRI and make sure that they removed the correct adrenal gland and then I eventually went down to a low dose of only one BP med.
I have High Blood Pressure since childhood. Been taking medications from 16 years (now in my 40s).
I asked a doctor what is the cause of my high BP. He replied "either spend money on finding the cause and take medications OR just accept the fact and start taking medications from now"
I chose the latter :(
For context, I'm Pakistani so no concept of health insurance. All money would have to come from my brokea$$ family so no choice really lol
Me three, although my procedure did not result in quite so dramatic an improvement. I saw a PCP for the first time in several years, and was 180/130. Four meds (vasodilator, calcium channel blocker, diuretic, and beta blocker) brought that down to 130-140/80-90. After removing an adrenal gland, I'm in that same range with three meds (same three minus the beta blocker, which never did much anyway).
Regarding this potassium paper, it's interesting that it primarily concerns itself with sodium and potassium intake. I don't know that any reasonable change to my intake could have overcome the effects of aldosterone overproduction, but wouldn't the recommended changes to your diet depend on measuring your current balance?
At age 38 I was diagnosed with very high blood pressure. I had not been going to a doctor and was having headaches and bloody noses so it might have been going on for years. The first drug they put me on was a diuretic. They also put me on potassium after low potassium levels which is common with a diuretic.
Eventually, they also put me on a beta-blocker, a calcium channel blocker, and an ACE inhibitor. So I was getting all four BP meds and ended up at high or maximum doses. Around age 50 my potassium levels were getting very low and they kept increasing my potassium to no effect.
Primary care and cardiologist were flummoxed so they sent me for a kidney MRI. The radiologist looked at my history and decided to also check the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys so that was his call.
Turns out I had primary hyperaldosteronism which causes low potassium and high blood pressure. Not clear if it was the cause all along because I'm not sure I had my potassium checked before starting the diuretic. I saw a very good endocrinologist who had tests done to confirm the MRI and make sure that they removed the correct adrenal gland and then I eventually went down to a low dose of only one BP med.