Blood Pressure Medications

Blood Pressure Medications questions and answers

Click here now for great prices on Blood Pressure Medication from The Drug Company.com.

Q: Can high blood pressure medications give you ED?
Medications like Hytrin (200mg), combined with Azor 5 (40mg), could that give someone erectile dysfunction? If so, what causes high blood pressure and how can someone get off of the medications? There is no overweight problem.

A: Yes, I am sure that your meds could be causing your ED. ED has to do with the blood supply to the penis and if you have high blood pressure then that means your blood is having a hard time going where it needs to be going so they are all connected.. As far as getting off the meds, Im not sure, exercising would help greatly because that will strengthen your heart muscle and allow it to pump the blood better. However, it is important not to just stop taking your meds because if you are not ready to do that it could cause you some real problems... Hope this helps

Q: Why is a diuretic prescribed with blood pressure medications?
I was recently diagnosed with hypertension after my last miscarriage. I have to take HCTZ 25 and Lisinopril once a day. I was wondering why is it necessary to take a diuretic with blood pressure medications?

A: Hydrochlorthiazide is one of the more important blood pressure medications in its own right, being as effective as anything and having the distinct advantage of being dirt cheap. Also, it has the distinct advantage over some alternatives of a good track record in preventing the things you prevent by treating high blood pressure. After all, it's strokes, heart attacks and such that are the measure of effectiveness of your medication, not the blood pressure readings alone. Hydrochlorthiazide also has actions on your blood pressure other than just its diuretic property. That's important, because there are myriad feedback mechanisms in regulating blood pressure, which means that when you lower blood pressure with a medication that has a particular action, your system's gonna try to raise your blood pressure back to where it thinks it should be (and that's higher than you and your doctor want it). One of the ways it does that with ACE inhibitors is fluid retention, though the effect isn't as severe as with calcium blockers. So you both prevent the fluid retention and get synergistic effects of the two acting together.

Q: What are some effects of High Blood pressure medications, and High cholesterol medications?
What are some effects of High Blood pressure medications, and High cholesterol medications If my hands involuntary gets abnormaly warm, is that cause my consuming those medicines?

A: It is entirely possible - those medications can have nasty side effects and long term health implications. However, side effects can vary widely from one drug to another and your best bet is to go to a reputable site such as www.drugs.com and look up the side effects of each specific medication you are taking. Prepare for a shock! Also, for an eye-opening look at statins and why they can be dangerous for you, take a look at: http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/statin.html which includes this excerpt on how cholesterol is formed and how statin drugs work: "The process begins with acetyl-CoA, a two-carbon molecule sometimes referred to as the "building block of life." Three acetyl-CoA molecules combine to form six-carbon hydroxymethyl glutaric acid (HMG). The step from HMG to mevalonate requires an enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase. Statin drugs work by inhibiting this enzyme--hence the formal name of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Herein lies the potential for numerous side effects, because statin drugs inhibit not just the production of cholesterol, but a whole family of intermediary substances, many if not all of which have important biochemical functions in their own right." If you go to my profile and look at some of my past answers to questions about lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, you will find that there are safer natural alternatives, as is often the case when it comes to unnatural patented drugs which treat symptoms by forcing the body to function abnormally.

Q: Can You take Abuterol with high blood pressure medications?
I take high blood pressure medication. I was wondering if that is ok to take with each other?

A: Albuterol can raise blood pressure as it often causes a stimulated feeling (increased heart rate, higher blood pressure). Depending on which blood pressure medication you're taking, it should be *relatively* safe, but it's best to just give your MD or pharmacist a call to double check and congrats on #4!

Q: Why do some medications (antihistamines and blood pressure medicine) increase a person's risk of heat stroke?
I figure that antihistamines are vasoconstrictors which would affect the body's ability to release heat on the skin's surface. What is the deal with blood pressure medication?

A: I read somewhere (forgot where) that antihypertensives impair the sweat glands.

Q: What are the best tolerated blood pressure medications without side effects?
For the past month my blood pressure has been high. My doctor put me on diltia XT and Diovan. After a week they are making me feel strange, heavy chested, cold and just plain lousy. Has anyone had anything different that they have tolerated better that I can ask my doctor about? Thanks.

A: It would be unusual to be put on two blood pressure medications at the same time if you had none before. You are currently taking an Diovan which is an ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker) and diltia XT which is a calcium channel blocker (CCB). Usually people have problems with families of drugs, not individual drugs within a family. I wouldn't suggest using an ACE inhibitor since they are similar to ARB's. You could ask for hydrochlorothiazide HCTZ which is an old school diuretic BP med but works well. You could also try a beta blocker like metoprolol. Either the CCB or the ARB is causing you problems. I would suspect the CCB rather than the ARB. Talk to your doctor about dropping one of your meds and adding in a different family. Sometimes diet and exercise allows a person to drop down to one medication rather than two!

Q: Why are some people prescribed two types of blood pressure medications?
One of my family members has to take two types of blood pressure medicines. One is called Atenolol and the other is called Cozaar. Why are two types of blood pressure medicines necessary?

A: Because doctors don't know any better. They don't understand how the cardiovascular system works - or how it's controlled and regulated./ Simple, but quite unbelievable, ... isn't it? Yet it's true.

Q: High blood pressure and Insomnia... Any sleeping medications that can mix with HB meds?
My father is on a cocktail of high blood pressure medications (Norvasc, Lisinopril, Terazosin, Triamterene, Probenecid, Atenolol, Amiodrarone and Coumadin) but also has, for years, had trouble sleeping through the night. In fact, he tends to only get about two to three hours of sleep. He had been taking Tylenol PM to help him sleep, and it was working, but I pointed out that the active compound in that, (essentially benedryl) probably doesn't mix well with the meds that he is on. He's going to go visit his doctor soon to see about some sort of prescription that he could try, but does anyone have any suggestions for us? He's in desperate need of something... Thanks for the help!

A: Here's the best, most natural and least harmful way to induce sleep that really works. I don't think your father needs more medications, they won't be an effective and permanent cure anyway. What prevents us from sleeping is an overactive mind which we cannot switch off. Anyone can quickly learn meditation and mind calming and stilling techniques as taught by a yoga teacher. The best yoga for this is Siddha Yoga as taught by it's founder Swami Muktananda, a wonderful, inspired, and greatly respected yoga teacher. Siddha Yoga meditation centers are all over the world and you can find out more online and get some of the many books written by Muktananda that deal with this very subject. I quickly learned the technique in one attendance at a yoga session and the result was immediate, restful relaxing sleep. I urge you to try this natural and really beneficial solution. You will be glad you did. If you email me(see my profile) I can give you titles of publications by Swami Muktananda and more info about Siddha Yoga and about meditation centers near you. Incidentally, this yoga is one of the best methods of alleviating BP- it calms one down and relieves any stress.

Q: are high blood pressure medications detectable by MEPS drug test?
I have slightly high blood pressure and my recruiter wants me to go down to MEPS soon so I have to get it down fast. So I was thinking about getting a prescription to get it down; I'd quit the Meds before I shipped and I know i'll be safe in Basic without them. I'd just use them to get through the dreaded MEPS.

A: They are not testing for blood pressure medication in the drug tests. Lay off the salt and make sure you exercise daily. Salt jacks up you pressure.Read the labels on the foods you eat, check out the amount of sodium in each. Stay away from Ramen noodles some have up to 48% of your recommended sodium intake in 1 serving.

Q: Do all blood pressure medications contain beta blockers?
Im 23 yrs old and I have high blood pressure to the point of making me dizzy and uncomfortable. This usually happens about after I eat. I was put on blood pressure medicine that I quit taking beacause I was unable to get an erection. Do all blood pressure medicines have this side effect or are there some without beta blockers?

A: This is a side-effect that might occur with beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. You can try a different class of blood pressure medications. Ask your doctor about ACE inhibitors (such as enalapril or lisinopril) or diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide).

Q: How do the Master cleaner work with medicine that you are taking such as High blood pressure medications?
I am on other medications also and need to know if it will cause the medication to harm me since the diet gets rid of the toxins in the body.

A: No, you shouldn't worry.

Q: I take five different blood pressure medications an work out on a regular basis,but my pressure remains high?
is there anything possible that i can do to lower it more instead of adding more medication?

A: Just proves that your body knows more than your doctor. If you need that much blood flow, than quit trying to lower it. Things that will lower your body's need, magnesium oxide, lose some weight ( yea, I know), change your diet to include only natural, unprocessed foods, change to Celtic sea salt, daily walks, lower stress. Taking drugs just to change an arbitrary number, is just asking for trouble. Wait, it is not an arbitrary number, it is what the drug companies recommend to increase their profits. Not only can they sell you BP meds, but now you have another risk factor so they can justify putting you on cholesterol meds. Don't forget the extra drugs you will need to combat the side effects. Let me guess, you take something for sleep, something for your stomach, something for depression, something for aches and pains, ETC. Pharmacist who's life was almost ruined by Lipitor.

Q: Are there any blood pressure medications that are safe to use along with 2700mg (daily) of Lithobid?
My bp has been higher lately, and everyone older than me in my immediate family has hypertension and takes meds. I'm on 2700mg of Lithium Carbonate daily for bipolar, which screws with water and the kidneys in your body. Most BPs seem to have similar side effects.

A: The most common blood pressure medications to treat hypertension are hydrochlorothiazide, an angiotensin 1 converting enzyme inhibitor such as lisinopril, and a beta blocker such as metoprolol succinate. All of these would be 'safe' with lithium carbonate as none of these would effect the lithium blood level. You state that there is a family history of hypertension but you do not indicate that you have hypertension. Your question may be one of curiosity or you may have neglected to say that you have hypertension. I believe that when you say 'most BPs seem to have similar side effects' you are saying that blood pressure medications have similar side effects. The three blood pressure medications listed above are virtually devoid of side effects. They are among the least expensive, best tolerated, and most efficacious of blood pressure medications. If I may be of further assistance please email me at johnerussomd@jhu.edu. I wish you and your family the very best of health and may God Bless.

Q: Are there any blood pressure medications in which coughing is NOT a side-effect?
My mother is on Lisinopril and she's been coughing a lot (especially when she goes to bed). A lady at church said that it could be her BP med.

A: Pretty well all of them except the ACE inhibitors (of which lisinopril is one) and the closely related ARB's, and it's not much different from placebo in the latter.

Q: Need your advice on Blood pressure medications?
I've noticed a dramatic change in my 89 year-old mother since she went on these meds three months ago; Cozarr, Metoprolol, and Cartia. She talks in her sleep, hallucinates at times when awake, (seeing people/objects that aren't there), and can be very moody. Funny thing is, she seems quite aware of these things happening to her and will question me about the reason (s). Your help would be appreciated. Thanks.

A: None of the medications she is on can be causing this. However, medications effect everyone differently and if this only started after beginning these medications... it makes one wonder. Though I very much doubt they are the cause. First, I would contact the pharmacy that filled these prescriptions for her and speak directly with the pharmacist to ask about rare side effects. They will likely need to investigate a bit for you and get back to you. Secondly, she should be seen by her doctor as something is clearly up. At 89 it is not hard to become confused, though she admits she is fully aware of these things happening to her. Either way, she does need to be seen. I hope everything gets sorted out!