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Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
By Mayo Clinic staff
Oct. 4, 2008
From acetaminophen to stimulants, know which drugs and supplements can affect your blood pressure.
Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements and other substances can raise your blood pressure. In addition, these substances can sometimes interfere with medications intended to lower your blood pressure.
Here are some medications and supplements that can increase your blood pressure. If you're taking any of these medications or supplements and are worried about the effect it could have on your blood pressure, talk to your doctor.
Acetaminophen
Researchers are unsure why, but women who take 500 or more milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen daily are more likely to develop high blood pressure than are women who don't take acetaminophen. However, there's no evidence that temporarily taking acetaminophen causes any long-term increase in blood pressure. Examples of acetaminophen include:
Antidepressants
Antidepressants work by changing your body's response to chemicals, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, that affect your mood. Although researchers are unsure why, these chemicals may also cause your blood pressure to increase. Examples of antidepressants include:
Birth control pills
Birth control pills and other hormonal birth control devices contain hormones that increase your blood pressure by narrowing smaller blood vessels. Virtually all birth control pills, patches and vaginal rings warn high blood pressure may be a side effect.
Not all women will have increased blood pressure from using hormonal birth control, but if you're worried, have your blood pressure checked at least every six to 12 months. If you already have high blood pressure, consider using a different form of birth control.
While nearly all birth control pills can raise your blood pressure, your blood pressure may be less likely to increase if you use a birth control pill or device that contains a lower dose of estrogen.
Caffeine
Caffeine may increase your blood pressure by blocking a hormone that keeps your blood vessels widened, allowing blood to easily flow through. In addition, caffeine may cause you to produce more cortisol and adrenaline, which makes your blood flow faster, thus increasing your blood pressure. Examples of caffeine-containing medications and products include:
Decongestants
Decongestants narrow your blood vessels, which makes it harder for your blood to flow through your veins, increasing blood pressure. Decongestants may also make some blood pressure medications less effective. Examples of decongestants include:
Herbal supplements
The way each herbal supplement increases your blood pressure varies. Remember to tell your doctor about any herbal supplements you take or are thinking about taking, to see if the supplement could raise your blood pressure or interact with blood pressure medications. Examples of herbal supplements that can affect your blood pressure or blood pressure medications include:
Immunosuppressants
Researchers aren't sure why some immunosuppressants raise some people's blood pressure, but they think it may relate to the way immunosuppressants can affect your kidneys. Examples of immunosuppressants that can increase your blood pressure include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs can cause you to retain water, creating kidney problems and increasing your blood pressure. Examples of NSAIDs include:
Stimulants
Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) can cause your heart to beat faster or irregularly, raising your blood pressure.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly if you take a stimulant. If your blood pressure increases or isn't well controlled, ask your doctor about alternatives to these medications. He or she may recommend lifestyle changes or additional medications to control your high blood pressure.
A caution on illicit drugs
Illicit drugs can raise blood pressure by narrowing the arteries that supply blood to your heart. This increases your heart rate and damages your heart muscle.
Examples of illicit drugs that can affect your heart include:
References
By Mayo Clinic staff
Oct. 4, 2008
From acetaminophen to stimulants, know which drugs and supplements can affect your blood pressure.
Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements and other substances can raise your blood pressure. In addition, these substances can sometimes interfere with medications intended to lower your blood pressure.
Here are some medications and supplements that can increase your blood pressure. If you're taking any of these medications or supplements and are worried about the effect it could have on your blood pressure, talk to your doctor.
Acetaminophen
Researchers are unsure why, but women who take 500 or more milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen daily are more likely to develop high blood pressure than are women who don't take acetaminophen. However, there's no evidence that temporarily taking acetaminophen causes any long-term increase in blood pressure. Examples of acetaminophen include:
- Tylenol
- Other brands
Antidepressants
Antidepressants work by changing your body's response to chemicals, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, that affect your mood. Although researchers are unsure why, these chemicals may also cause your blood pressure to increase. Examples of antidepressants include:
- Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR)
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL)
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Phenelzine (Nardil)
Birth control pills
Birth control pills and other hormonal birth control devices contain hormones that increase your blood pressure by narrowing smaller blood vessels. Virtually all birth control pills, patches and vaginal rings warn high blood pressure may be a side effect.
Not all women will have increased blood pressure from using hormonal birth control, but if you're worried, have your blood pressure checked at least every six to 12 months. If you already have high blood pressure, consider using a different form of birth control.
While nearly all birth control pills can raise your blood pressure, your blood pressure may be less likely to increase if you use a birth control pill or device that contains a lower dose of estrogen.
Caffeine
Caffeine may increase your blood pressure by blocking a hormone that keeps your blood vessels widened, allowing blood to easily flow through. In addition, caffeine may cause you to produce more cortisol and adrenaline, which makes your blood flow faster, thus increasing your blood pressure. Examples of caffeine-containing medications and products include:
- Caffeine pills (Vivarin, others)
- Caffeine in energy drinks and other beverages
Decongestants
Decongestants narrow your blood vessels, which makes it harder for your blood to flow through your veins, increasing blood pressure. Decongestants may also make some blood pressure medications less effective. Examples of decongestants include:
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
- Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE)
- Oxymetazoline (Afrin, others)
Herbal supplements
The way each herbal supplement increases your blood pressure varies. Remember to tell your doctor about any herbal supplements you take or are thinking about taking, to see if the supplement could raise your blood pressure or interact with blood pressure medications. Examples of herbal supplements that can affect your blood pressure or blood pressure medications include:
- Bitter orange
- Ephedra (ma-huang)
- Ginseng
- Guarana
- Licorice
- St. John's Wort
Immunosuppressants
Researchers aren't sure why some immunosuppressants raise some people's blood pressure, but they think it may relate to the way immunosuppressants can affect your kidneys. Examples of immunosuppressants that can increase your blood pressure include:
- Cyclosporine (Neoral)
- Cyclosporine (Sandimmune)
- Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
- Tacrolimus (Prograf)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs can cause you to retain water, creating kidney problems and increasing your blood pressure. Examples of NSAIDs include:
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others)
- Meloxicam (Mobic)
- Naproxen (Naprosyn)
- Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Stimulants
Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) can cause your heart to beat faster or irregularly, raising your blood pressure.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly if you take a stimulant. If your blood pressure increases or isn't well controlled, ask your doctor about alternatives to these medications. He or she may recommend lifestyle changes or additional medications to control your high blood pressure.
A caution on illicit drugs
Illicit drugs can raise blood pressure by narrowing the arteries that supply blood to your heart. This increases your heart rate and damages your heart muscle.
Examples of illicit drugs that can affect your heart include:
- Amphetamines, including methamphetamine
- Anabolic steroids
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
References
- Sheps SG. Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2008:52-53.
- Chan AT, et al. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and the risk of cardiovascular events. Circulation. 2006;13(12):1578-1587.
- Stimulants. National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA for Teens: Facts on Drugs - Stimulants
- High blood pressure causes. American Heart Association. High Blood Pressure Causes
- NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (anabolic-androgenic). National Institute on Drug Abuse. http://www.nida.nih.gov/PDF/Infofacts/Steroids08.pdf
- NIDA InfoFacts: Hallucinogens - LSD, peyote, psilocybin, and PCP. National Institute on Drug Abuse. http://www.nida.nih.gov/pdf/infofacts/Hallucinogens08.pdf
- Cold and flu medication for people with high blood pressure. American Heart Association. Cold and Flu Medication for People With High Blood Pressure
- Consumer information sheet: Meloxicam (marketed as Mobic). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/druginfo/mobic.htm
- Birth control pills. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Birth Control Pills
- Very-low-dose birth control pills for perimenopausal women. American Academy of Family Physicians. Perimenopausal Women and the Use of Very-Low-Dose Birth Control Pills -- familydoctor.org
- Herbal products supplements and side effects. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/PreBuilt/otc_herbs_sideeffects.pdf
- Bitter orange. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. BITTER ORANGE Monograph: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
- Licorice. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. LICORICE Monograph: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
- St. John's Wort. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. ST. JOHN'S WORT Monograph: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
- Uiterwaal C, et al. Coffee intake and incidence of hypertension. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;85(3):718-723.
- Hess AM, et al. Potential for toxicity with use of bitter orange extract and guarana for weight loss. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2005;39(3):574-575.MY00256