Decongestants can pose a dangerous risk to people with hypertension. Try these other steps to safely treat a cold or allergies. Show
Cold medicines are not off-limits if you have heart disease, but patients with high blood pressure, or hypertension, should check the label carefully when choosing a cold or allergy medicine. LISTEN UP: Add the new Michigan Medicine News Break to your Alexa-enabled device, or subscribe to our daily audio updates on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher. That’s because decongestants such as pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, naphazoline and oxymetazoline can increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Make sure the cold or allergy medication you plan to take is free of those ingredients. Decongestants can also prevent your blood pressure medication from working properly. And always check the active and inactive ingredient lists, because many medications are high in sodium, which also raises blood pressure. For allergy sufferers with heart disease, medicines such as Allegra, Zyrtec or Claritin should be safe. However, medicines containing decongestants — including Allegra-D, Zyrtec-D and Claritin-D — could increase your blood pressure and heart rate or interfere with your heart medication. Managing a cold with hypertensionIf you can’t take a decongestant because of high blood pressure, there are other ways to reduce your cold or allergy symptoms:
Before taking any new medicationAlways check with your pharmacist before you take a new medication, whether it’s for a cold, allergies or something else, to find out if it is compatible with certain medical conditions and your current drug therapy. SEE ALSO: Millions More People Now Have High Blood Pressure. Why That’s a Good Thing If you have a heart condition, be sure to discuss all medication choices with your cardiologist before taking anything. It’s allergy season and you can’t breathe the fresh air because your nose is congested and stuffed. You visit the pharmacy and purchase a box of Sudafed. Your pharmacist asks if you have a history of high blood pressure, and you answer “yes.” The pharmacist replies that she does not recommend Sudafed for you, but why? What you need to know about Pseudoephedrine:Brands of common over-the counter decongestants that contain pseudoephedrine: Allegra-D, Alka Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Liqui-Gels, Aleve Cold and Sinus Caplets, Benadryl Allergy and Sinus Tablets, Claritin-D Non-Drowsy 24 Hour Tablets, Robitussin Cold Severe Congestion Capsules, Sudafed 24 Hour Tablets, SudoGest, Wal-phed 12 hour, Suphedrine.2 Indications: nasal congestion, sinus congestion, and Eustachian tube congestion Adverse side effects of pseudoephedrine:
Contraindications for pseudoephedrine:
Pseudoephedrine and High Blood Pressure InteractionIn 2005, a study showed that pseudoephedrine increased systolic blood pressure and heart rate, but had no effect on diastolic blood pressure.1 They also found that higher doses and immediate-release formulations of pseudoephedrine were associated with higher blood pressures.1 In addition, the study revealed that patients with well controlled hypertension had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures after taking immediate release pseudoephedrine formulations.1 What are safe alternatives to pseudoephedrine in patients with high blood pressure?There are a few safe and effective alternatives to pseudoephedrine in patients with high blood pressure that can relieve nasal or sinus congestion symptoms. Placing a humidifier in the bedroom keeps moisture in the air, which helps prevent your nasal passages from drying out. Humidifiers can also help break up mucus and soothe inflamed nasal passageways.3 In addition, propping your head up on 2 pillows may help the mucus flow out of your nose and relieve some congestion. Saline sprays are also another safe option that can loosen congestion and improve drainage.3 If a patient with high blood pressure insists on taking a medication that includes pseudoephedrine, their pharmacist or physician will recommend the patient to monitor their blood pressure and take a sustained-release formulation to reduce the risk of increasing blood pressure.3 Next time you have sinus or nasal congestion, ask your physician before using pseudoephedrine if you have high blood pressure. Your local pharmacist can also help manage nasal congestion symptoms, provide valuable information regarding safer alternatives, and ensure optimal drug selection in patients with high blood pressure. Resources:
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Get a Prescription Discount CardYour choice. Get a ScriptSave WellRx Savings Card. Or Download the free mobile app from the App Store or Google Plage Store Get A Card Grocery GuidanceScriptSave WellRx Grocery Guidance brings together leading-edge nutritional data science with AI powered personalization to help you know which food products on your grocery store shelf are truly good for YOU. Healthy Foods For You What is the best decongestant for someone with high blood pressure?Phenylephrine. For those with high blood pressure, phenylephrine is an alternative to pseudoephedrine. They are in the same drug class known as nasal decongestants, which help relieve sinus congestion and pressure. You can buy products containing phenylephrine right off the shelf at the pharmacy.
How does phenylephrine affect blood pressure?Increases in blood pressure and decreases in heart rate have been reported with doses over 15 mg. It has been estimated that a 20-mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure would occur with an oral dose of 45 mg phenylephrine in normotensive healthy people.
Who should not take phenylephrine?do not take phenylephrine if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or if you have stopped taking one of these medications within the past 2 weeks.
What happens if you take a decongestant with high blood pressure?Individuals with hypertension should be aware that the use of decongestants may increase BP or hinder or interfere with the effectiveness of some antihypertensives, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA also recommends that those with hypertension avoid medications that are high in sodium.
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Is it ok to take phenylephrine with high blood pressure
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