“WARNING: Stop Taking These Pills If You Have High Blood Pressure” — Be Careful
This type of headline is potentially dangerous because you should not stop prescribed medication simply because a social-media post says it’s harmful.
There are medicines and supplements that can raise blood pressure or interfere with blood-pressure treatment, but whether you should avoid one depends on the specific drug and your health.
Medicines that can raise blood pressure
Common examples include:
NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen
Decongestants containing ingredients such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine
Some corticosteroids
Certain antidepressants and other psychiatric medicines
Some immunosuppressants and cancer treatments
Certain herbal products, including licorice-containing supplements
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American Heart Association
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This doesn’t mean everyone with hypertension must completely avoid these medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist can determine whether an alternative is appropriate.
Most important: don’t stop your blood-pressure medicine
If you’re taking amlodipine, metoprolol, losartan, lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, or another prescribed BP medicine, don’t stop it on your own. The American Heart Association specifically advises against stopping or changing the dose without consulting your healthcare professional.
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www.heart.org
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Some medicines are particularly important not to stop abruptly. For example, sudden withdrawal of clonidine can cause a dangerous rebound increase in blood pressure, while beta-blockers such as metoprolol generally should not be stopped suddenly.
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professional.heart.org
If you have a very high reading
If your BP is over 180/120 mmHg, repeat it after at least one minute. If it remains that high, contact a healthcare professional promptly. If it’s accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness/numbness, vision changes, or difficulty speaking, seek emergency medical care immediately.
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www.heart.org
If you give me the names of the “pills” you’re concerned about (or a photo of the package), I can check each one and tell you whether it can raise blood pressure and whether it should be avoided.
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