Call (805) 338-7727 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call (805) 338-7727 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

These Common Medications Can Be Dangerous for Those with High Blood Pressure

Posted by Elana Foxx, April 27, 2021

When you’re feeling under the weather, reaching for over-the-counter cold and flu medications might seem like an easy, safe course of action. But for some people, these common symptom remedies can complicate their health or even become dangerous.

Specifically, those with high blood pressure should be wary of decongestants. These common ingredients in cold and flu medicines constrict blood vessels, and temporarily raise blood pressure along with reducing blood circulation. In the average healthy person, this side effect generally does not pose a concern. But for those who already struggle with high blood pressure, decongestants can make the problem worse – even dangerously so. They can also interfere with the effectiveness of your prescription blood pressure medications.

Check the ingredients list for pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, two decongestants commonly used in over-the-counter cold medicines. Some brands also list the letters “CF” or “D” on the box or bottle.

In addition to the danger posed by decongestants, a certain class of drugs called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) can also interfere with the effectiveness of blood pressure medications. Aspirin and ibuprofen are two common NSAIDs. If you’re taking prescription medications for your blood pressure, ask your doctor before taking any over-the-counter cold or flu remedy that might contain an NSAID.

Yes, there are over-the-counter cold and flu remedies that are appropriate for people with high blood pressure. But because ingredients lists and warning labels can be confusing, make sure to discuss this issue with your doctor before using any of these remedies. They can give you a list of over-the-counter medications that are safe to use.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close