Sister had high blood pressure and osteoporosis. giving up dairy products and calcium vitamins to lower bp. should i be worried for her?

It's a balancing act: Every patient has to weigh risks and benefits of therapy. Osteoporosis is a serious disease with potentially devastating consequences. She could compromise with reduced calcium maybe 600mg per day and vitamin d 800 units per day. She should also, of course, take medication to reduce bone turnover or stimulate bone formation. She should discuss all of this with her physician.

Sounds like bad plan: I agree with u, that doesn't sound smart. She would be better off eliminating sodium (<1.5 grams), doing aerobic exercise (30 minutes or more, 5 days per week), managing stress, getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol and stimulants, and then, if necessary, taking a simple generic medication like amlodipine once a day.

Calcium good for BP: You are right to be worried about your sister, calcium and vitamin d are essential for treating osteoporosis. I am not sure why your sister is giving up calcium. Calcium has been shown to lower blood pressure in numerous studies. The dash diet from the nih recommends eating a diet high in dairy products, at least 2-3 8 oz servings of low fat/fat free dairy per day. She needs to talk to her doctor.

Yes: The long term effects of osteoporosis can be almost as devastating as hypertension. There is absolutely no reason for her to stop dairy and calcium supplements! if her blood calcium level is high due to BP meds, another BP med can be substituted.

Yes: Giving up dairy is not likely to have any profound affect on her blood pressure and cutting out all dairy can lead to adverse affects as the body will pull the calcium from the bone and increase reabsorption in the kidneys that can lead to increased risk of kidney stones. Low sodium diet is only proven dietary change that can have positive affect on bp. Your sister should talk to her doctor.