We can experience allergy season all over the year these days. Hence, for some people, struggling symptoms are itching, runny nose, congestion, watery eyes, sneezing, etc. If you are an allergy sufferer, you may need to take allergy medicine for relief. You may face difficulty if you have high blood pressure. You need to follow some tips when choosing the best drug for allergy relief. Read this blog to learn how allergy medication affects blood pressure.
How Does Allergy Medication Affect Blood Pressure?
Although allergies do not usually raise blood pressure, they can indirectly contribute to high blood pressure. When you select decongestants like phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine, you can worsen the present high BP. Decongestants work by compressing blood vessels and opening nasal passages to make breathing easier. This can worsen high blood pressure as they are not discriminating against only the blood vessels in the nose. Therefore, it can compress blood vessels in other body parts and raise BP.
Although allergy drugs can relieve nasal congestion and boost breathing, they can also compress blood vessels all over the body, making your heart function harder to pump blood. And this increases blood pressure. When selecting an over-the-counter allergy drug, be careful of combo items that consist of decongestants. These items usually have terms like “congestion,” “cold,” “decongestant,” or “sinus” on the label. Moreover, they might have labels with the letters PE, PD, or D after the name.
If you select an over-the-counter allergy medication, search for one that doesn’t have phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine. Some antihistamines can relieve congestion that accompanies allergies and are safe for the heart, like diphenhydramine, cetirizine, loratadine, and fexofenadine.
How to Make the Most of Your Allergy Medicine
As allergy season is throughout the year, you must take your medicine before your symptoms start. If you are unsure when to begin, call your allergist for instructions. Also, make sure to drink enough water with most drugs.
Focusing on pollen can help you in the long run. Try to avoid outdoor activities if the pollen count is high, especially in the morning. Removing shoes before coming indoors can reduce the pollen count.
The Importance of Consulting an Allergist before Taking Allergy Medication If You Have High BP
Although some allergy drugs are safe to take even if you have high BP, some are not. For instance, you should always avoid allergy drugs that consist of a decongestant and some antihistamines. Moreover, there is a risk of medicine interactions that can greatly increase blood pressure.
In a few cases, drug interactions may increase the side effects of allergy drugs, whereas in others, they may counteract the effects of your BP medicines. Hence, if you are a high blood pressure sufferer, you should always talk to an allergist before choosing an over-the-counter allergy medicine.
Bottom Lines
If you are a high-BP sufferer, the selection of the right allergy medicine is essential. You can avoid any possible complications when you know how allergy medication affects blood pressure and which medicine combinations to avoid. So, if your high blood pressure is properly controlled with medicine, contact The Allergy Suite for some safe options that will help you lead an allergy-free life.
