High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects millions of people around the world.
It is one of the leading causes of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease, and vision loss.
Many people have high blood pressure without feeling sick, which is why it is often called the “silent killer.” If left untreated, it slowly damages blood vessels and forces the heart to work much harder than normal.
Most people know that eating too much salt, being overweight, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough exercise can increase blood pressure. Many people also take medicines to help lower it.
However, new research suggests that another hidden factor may be making blood pressure harder to control.
Researchers from Harvard have found that nearly one in five adults with high blood pressure may be taking medicines for other health conditions that actually raise their blood pressure. The study was led by Dr. Timothy Anderson and published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
The researchers examined information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, also known as NHANES. This large U.S. health survey collected medical information from thousands of adults between 2009 and 2018.
By studying these records, the researchers looked at how common it was for people with hypertension to take medicines that are known to increase blood pressure.
The results were surprising. About 18.5% of adults with high blood pressure were taking at least one medicine that could make their blood pressure rise. Many of these people also had blood pressure that was not well controlled, even though some were already taking medication to lower it.
The study identified several common types of medicines that may increase blood pressure. Some antidepressants used to treat depression and anxiety can have this effect. Certain prescription pain relievers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, may also increase blood pressure, especially when used regularly. Steroid medicines prescribed for conditions such as asthma, severe allergies, and arthritis can also raise blood pressure in some people.
The researchers also found that some hormonal medicines, including birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, may contribute to higher blood pressure. Decongestants that are commonly found in cold and flu medicines can temporarily raise blood pressure because they narrow blood vessels. In addition, some weight-loss medicines may increase both heart rate and blood pressure.
This does not mean everyone should stop taking these medicines. In many cases, they are important treatments that provide significant health benefits. However, people with high blood pressure should be aware that these medicines may make it more difficult to keep their blood pressure under control.
One important finding from the study was that people taking both blood pressure medicines and medicines that raise blood pressure often needed stronger treatment to reach safe blood pressure levels. In some cases, doctors had to increase the dose of blood pressure medication because another medicine was working against it.
The researchers say that one simple step could help many people. Patients should make sure every doctor they see knows about all the medicines they take. This includes prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins, herbal supplements, and natural remedies. Many people visit different specialists, and one doctor may not know what another doctor has prescribed.
In some situations, there may be safer alternatives that do not affect blood pressure as much. For example, a doctor may recommend a different pain reliever, another type of antidepressant, or a cold medicine without a decongestant. Any changes should always be discussed with a healthcare professional. People should never stop taking prescribed medicines on their own because doing so could create other health risks.
Along with reviewing medications, healthy lifestyle habits remain essential for controlling high blood pressure.
Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lean protein, and healthy fats, reducing salt intake, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and taking blood pressure medicine as prescribed can all help reduce the risk of serious complications.
This Harvard study reminds us that managing high blood pressure involves more than simply taking medication. Sometimes the medicines used to treat completely different health problems may also affect blood pressure without people realizing it. A regular medication review with a doctor or pharmacist could uncover hidden causes of uncontrolled blood pressure and help people receive the safest and most effective treatment.
The findings from this research were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that drinking tea could help lower blood pressure, and early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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