Meds and hypoglycemia

[bharkins]

Hi everyone,

I have never posted on this board, I have hypertension and am very familiar with that board. I have a question that maybe someone here can answer. Can hypertension meds cause low blood sugar? I am on four hypertension meds and have been experiencing episodes of dizziness, anxiety and profuse sweating. I have mentioned this to the GP and endo and they have checked my thyroid which came back normal.

[SamQKitty]

I've never heard of antihypertensives causing low blood sugar, but I suppose anything is possible. Do you get the dizziness mainly when changing positions, like from sitting to standing? If so, you could be experiencing something called orthostatic hypotension, in which your blood pressure doesn't regulate quickly enough when you change position...blood pools in your lower extremities and doesn't get sent quickly enough to your upper body.

As far as hypoglycemia, did you ask your doctors about it? Do you know anyone with a blood glucose meter? If so, you can test your bg when these episodes happen, and that will tell you if it's hypoglycemia. Anything below 70 would be considered low blood sugar.

Ruth

[bharkins]

No Sam, The dizziness, anxiety and sweating just seem to come over me all of a sudden. I will check into the blood sugar testing. Thanks for your reply.

[jtu91952]

You didn't say what bp meds you were taking. But beta blocker can cause sweating and dizziness. In my Diabetes Management magazine it stated that beta blockers can cause masked glucose levels.

As a matter of fact, i experienced this first hand when i was taking toprol xl. I tested my glucose at lunch time it was 120, but a few hrs later, i was in ER. They gave me a drip and told me to stop the toprol until i see my dr.
Why not call you pharmacist and he will tell you if your bp meds is effecting your glucose?


Also,thiazides (hctz) causes glucose and cholestrol to increase.

[bharkins]

Hi Jtu,

I am taking metoprolol, lisinipril, HCTZ, norvasc and ecotrin.