Scientists from Harvard have uncovered a surprising finding: nearly 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure may unknowingly be taking medications for other health conditions that could actually raise their blood pressure even more.
This discovery has significant implications for how hypertension is managed, as untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and vision issues.
These complications arise because high blood pressure can damage blood vessels over time.
For many people, making lifestyle changes—such as losing weight, reducing salt intake, and exercising—along with taking prescribed medication can help bring blood pressure down to safer levels.
However, what’s often overlooked is that some medications taken for other health issues may cause blood pressure to rise, making it harder to manage.
The Harvard researchers, led by Dr. Timothy Anderson, based their findings on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2009 and 2018.
This large national survey provided valuable insights into the medications used by people with high blood pressure and how these drugs might influence their condition.
The team focused on specific types of medications that are known to raise blood pressure. These include:
- Antidepressants: Used to treat depression and anxiety, but can sometimes have the side effect of increasing blood pressure.
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Prescription-strength versions of these common pain relievers can affect blood pressure levels.
- Steroids: Often used for conditions like asthma or arthritis, steroids can lead to higher blood pressure.
- Hormonal medications: This category includes birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, both of which may impact blood pressure.
- Decongestants: Frequently used in cold medications, decongestants can raise blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels.
- Weight-loss pills: Some of these medications work in ways that may increase blood pressure.
The researchers found that 18.5% of adults with high blood pressure were taking at least one of these medications, potentially making their condition worse.
Those who were on these blood pressure-raising drugs were more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure, especially if they weren’t also on medication specifically to lower blood pressure.
For those who were already taking blood pressure-lowering drugs, the use of these other medications sometimes meant they needed higher doses to keep their blood pressure under control.
One of the key takeaways from this study is that people with high blood pressure should have open conversations with their doctors about all the medications they are taking.
This is particularly important for patients who see multiple doctors for different health issues. Sometimes, doctors might not be fully aware of all the medications a patient is on, which can lead to unintended interactions that worsen blood pressure.
The study highlights the importance of managing not only blood pressure itself but also the potential side effects of medications for other conditions.
In some cases, it might be possible to switch to alternative treatments that don’t have the same impact on blood pressure. For example, there are options for managing pain, depression, or nasal congestion that may not increase blood pressure.
While the findings of this study underscore a hidden challenge in treating high blood pressure, they also offer a clear solution: better communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
By regularly reviewing medication lists and discussing the potential effects of all prescribed drugs, patients can take more control over their blood pressure and reduce the risk of serious complications.
This research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, reminds us that managing high blood pressure isn’t just about taking blood pressure medication—it’s also about understanding how all the medications a person takes might interact and affect their health.
For anyone with high blood pressure, staying informed and discussing these issues with a healthcare provider is a crucial step in maintaining long-term health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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