Does high blood pressure and blood pressure medications put you at greater risk of developing an over-active parathyroid?

This study examined the association between hypertension (high blood pressure), blood pressure medications and the risk of hyperparathyroidism. 

The parathyroid gland controls the levels of calcium in the blood by releasing parathyroid hormone. An over-active parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism, or HPT) can increase the levels of parathyroid hormone in the blood, decreasing calcium. High levels of this hormone can weaken the bones. There is a link between HPT and high blood pressure. The association between high blood pressure, blood pressure medications and HPT is not fully understood.

This study aimed to see if high blood pressure and medications used to treat high blood pressure caused a greater risk of developing HPT. 75,600 women between the ages of 30 and 55 were included in this study. Participants were asked to complete health-related surveys every 2 years. Topics included diet, high blood pressure, use of blood pressure medications, and HPT diagnosis.

Older women with high blood pressure were 45% more likely to have HPT. The use of furosemide (Lasix; a blood pressure medication) increased the risk of HPT by 71% compared to other blood pressure medications. Other blood pressure medications did not increase the risk of HPT. 

This study concluded that high blood pressure and the use of furosemide increased the risk of developing hyperparathyroidism. 

The study was conducted mainly in Caucasian women. It is not clear from this study whether high blood pressure also increases the risk of HPT in women of all ethnicities. Also, this study only took into account women who had been diagnosed with HPT by their doctor. This means they may have missed women who were not yet diagnosed. 

If you are a woman with high blood pressure, particularly if you are postmenopausal, discuss with your physician the risk of hyperparathyroidism.