Many people around the world live with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
It’s a serious health issue that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, and even problems with eyesight.
People are often told to eat less salty food, exercise more, maintain a healthy weight, and take medicine to keep their blood pressure under control.
But a surprising new study from Harvard shows that some people may be taking other medications that make their blood pressure worse—without even knowing it.
According to the research, almost 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure are also taking drugs for other health problems that actually raise their blood pressure. This unexpected discovery highlights a hidden danger. These medications, although helpful for treating different conditions, could be working against efforts to lower blood pressure.
The research was led by Dr. Timothy Anderson and published in a respected medical journal. His team used health data collected over nearly 10 years from a large national survey in the United States called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
They looked closely at the medications used by adults who already had high blood pressure and found something concerning. About 18.5% of them were taking at least one drug known to increase blood pressure.
These medications included common drugs like antidepressants (used to treat depression or anxiety), pain relievers like ibuprofen (known as NSAIDs), steroids (used for conditions like asthma or arthritis), and hormonal treatments (like birth control or hormone therapy).
Even some cold and flu medicines that contain decongestants, as well as weight-loss pills, can raise blood pressure.
While these drugs are important for treating other problems, they can make it harder for people to manage their blood pressure. The study found that those who were taking these medications were more likely to have blood pressure that was not under control—especially if they weren’t also taking medicine specifically meant to lower it.
Even people who were on blood pressure medications sometimes needed stronger doses to fight the effects of these other drugs. This means their treatment could be less effective, putting them at greater risk for serious health issues.
The good news is that this problem can often be fixed by better communication between patients and their doctors.
Many people see several different doctors, and not all doctors may know about every medication a person is taking. That’s why it’s very important to regularly review all medications with your doctor or pharmacist—even over-the-counter ones.
Sometimes there are safer options available. For example, switching to a different type of antidepressant, using pain relievers that don’t raise blood pressure, or choosing cold medicines that don’t contain decongestants can help.
This study is a good reminder that keeping blood pressure in check is not just about taking the right pills. It’s also about knowing how other medicines might affect your body in ways that are easy to miss.
Small changes—like adjusting a prescription—can have a big effect. If you have high blood pressure, be sure to talk to your doctor about every medicine you use. Ask if any of them might be making your blood pressure worse. Together, you can make choices that protect your health and lower your risk of problems in the future.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that widely used blood pressure drug may increase eye disease risk and common blood pressure drugs linked to cognitive decline.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about why checking blood pressure while lying down is very important and lowering top blood pressure number to less than 120 mm Hg effectively prevents heart disease.
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