Watch for high blood pressure when steroids are used in inflammatory illness – Clinical Daily News – McKnight’s Long Term Care News

Clinicians should look out for rising blood pressure in patients who regularly use oral steroids to treat chronic inflammatory disease, according to a new study.

Investigators followed more than 70,000 patients with at least one chronic inflammatory illness, such as inflammatory bowel disease or arthritis. They found that rates of hypertension increased along with cumulative doses of glucocorticoids prescribed to alleviate symptoms.

The cumulative effect of oral steroid doses on hypertension is substantial, and given that these are commonly prescribed medications, the related health burden could be high, said lead author Mar Pujades-Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

The prevalence of hypertension is 30% among long-term steroid users, and its negative impacts are likely to be higher in those with chronic systemic inflammatory diseases, who may be limited in their activities, the researchers wrote. Patients are often treated for a minimum of three months, yet disease relapses and flares can lead to steroid dose escalation over time.

Previous studies have reported a dose-related response between oral steroids and hypertension, although evidence has been inconclusive, the authors noted.

Full findings were published in CMAJ.

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Watch for high blood pressure when steroids are used in inflammatory illness - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News