WARNING: STOP Taking These Pills If You Have High Blood Pressure? What You Need to Know
This is especially important when a supplement is marketed as an energy booster, weight-loss product, workout stimulant or “natural blood-pressure solution.”
7. Caffeine and Energy Products
Caffeine can temporarily increase blood pressure in some people, particularly those who are sensitive to it or don’t consume it regularly.
Caffeine can come from more than coffee. It may also be found in:
Energy drinks
Tea
Cola
Caffeine tablets
Pre-workout products
Some headache medicines
The effect varies considerably from person to person. If you’re concerned about caffeine and your blood pressure, your healthcare professional can help you determine an appropriate amount.
The Biggest Mistake: Stopping Your Blood-Pressure Medicine
The warning in the picture can easily be misunderstood.
Someone may look at it and think:
“I have high blood pressure, so I should stop taking my pills.”
That is not a safe general rule.
If the pills were prescribed specifically to control your blood pressure, stopping them without medical advice can allow your blood pressure to rise again and may increase health risks.
The American Heart Association states that people should not stop prescribed medications without discussing it with their healthcare professional.
The correct question isn’t simply:
“Do I have high blood pressure?”
The correct questions are:
“What medication am I taking?”
“What dose am I taking?”
“Why was it prescribed?”
“Could it affect my blood pressure?”
“Could it interact with my other medicines?”
These questions can be answered much more safely by a doctor or pharmacist.
Always Check the Active Ingredient
A common mistake is to look only at the brand name of a medicine.
Many cold, flu and allergy products contain several active ingredients. One product may contain a pain reliever, while another may contain a pain reliever plus a decongestant.
That’s why reading the active ingredients is important.
If you have hypertension, pay particular attention to warnings involving high blood pressure and to ingredients that may affect blood vessels, fluid balance or heart rate.
When you aren’t sure, take the medicine package to a pharmacist and ask whether it is appropriate for you.
How to Monitor Your Blood Pressure Correctly
If you’re concerned that a medicine may be affecting your blood pressure, don’t rely on a single reading taken under unusual circumstances.
For a more accurate home measurement, the American Heart Association recommends sitting quietly for several minutes, keeping your feet flat on the floor, supporting your arm at heart level and using a properly fitting cuff. Avoid smoking, caffeine and exercise for about 30 minutes before measuring. (www.heart.org)
Keeping a record can also be useful.
Write down:
Date
Time
Blood-pressure reading
Heart rate
Medicines taken
Any unusual symptoms
This information can help your healthcare professional understand whether there is a pattern.
When High Blood Pressure Requires Urgent Attention
Very high blood pressure accompanied by certain symptoms can be an emergency.
The American Heart Association notes that a blood pressure reading around 180/120 mm Hg or higher, particularly when accompanied by symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, weakness or numbness, vision problems, or difficulty speaking, requires urgent medical attention. (www.heart.org)
Don’t attempt to solve a potentially serious situation by simply taking or stopping random pills.
Seek appropriate medical care.
What You Should Do If You Already Take Several Medicines
If you take multiple medications every day, make a complete list.
Include:
Prescription medications
Over-the-counter painkillers
Cold and flu medicines
Allergy medicines
Vitamins
Herbal supplements
Weight-loss products
Energy or workout supplements
Bring the list to your doctor or pharmacist.
Medication interactions can be complicated, and sometimes the problem isn’t one individual medicine but the combination of several products.
Final Takeaway
The message “STOP taking these pills if you have high blood pressure” is too vague to be considered safe medical advice.
There are indeed medications and supplements that can raise blood pressure or interfere with blood-pressure treatment. Important examples include certain NSAID painkillers, decongestants, corticosteroids, some antidepressants, stimulants and certain herbal supplements.
But a photograph of unidentified pills cannot tell you which medication is being shown, what dose it contains, why it was prescribed, or whether it is appropriate for a particular person.
Never stop a prescribed medication simply because of a social-media warning. Instead, identify the exact medication and speak with your doctor or pharmacist about its effect on blood pressure.
For anyone with hypertension, the safest habit is simple: check the active ingredients, monitor your blood pressure, keep your healthcare professional informed about everything you take, and ask before starting, stopping or changing medication.
