Most medications that manage allergy symptoms are safe to take if you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. But certain types of these drugs may not be suitable if you have hypertension.
These include decongestant medications, which typically have the words “sinus,” “cold,” or “congestion” on the label. These medications can lead to higher blood pressure, which can pose a problem for people with hypertension.
What’s the link?
Allergies happen when your body mistakenly attacks a harmless substance. Common allergens include:
- pollen
- dust
- mites
- pet dander
They often trigger symptoms like sneezing, hives, and itching.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is when the force of your bloodstream against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. Long-term exposure to a high force on the walls of your blood vessels puts them under strain and can cause damage.
This can increase your risk of developing other more serious conditions like heart disease.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), some medications that help to treat symptoms of allergies, such as congestion, work by constricting your blood vessels. This process, called vasoconstriction, reduces swelling and drains excess fluid in your nose, which makes it easier for you to breathe.
But these medications don’t just constrict the blood vessels in your nose but throughout your body. If you have hypertension, this can make it even harder for blood to flow through your blood vessels, which can lead to further increases in your blood pressure.
According to the AHA, decongestant allergy medications can also prevent certain hypertension medications from working effectively.
This only affects a small number of people. However, if you have hypertension or are taking anti-hypertensive medications, you should speak with a doctor before taking decongestants.
Does Claritin raise blood pressure?
Antihistamines are safer than decongestions to take with high blood pressure. This is because they are much less likely to interact with anti-hypertensive medications.
Antihistamines work by blocking the effects of the substance histamine, which is responsible for causing common symptoms of allergies, like sneezing and a runny nose.
Claritin is an over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medication that contains the antihistamine loratadine. This is a second-generation antihistamine, a newer type of antihistamine that is less likely to cause drowsiness. According to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, a doctor is more likely to recommend loratadine if you have hypertension.
However, it is important to remember that some variations of Claritin, such as Claritin-D, contain additional decongestants. Claritin-D, for example, also contains pseudoephedrine sulfate. If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid these variations that contain decongestants.
Does Zyrtec raise blood pressure?
Zyrtec is another non-drowsy allergy medication that contains the antihistamine cetirizine. An increase in blood pressure is not a listed side effect of cetirizine.
However, like Claritin, Zyrtec is available as a combination medication with the decongestant pseudoephedrine This form is called Zyrtec-D and should be avoided if you have high blood pressure.
Medications to take and ones to avoid
If you experience allergies regularly but also have high blood pressure, some medications are safe for you to take as they do not constrict your blood vessels or increase blood pressure.
Some of these OTC medications include:
- cetirizine (Zyrtec)
- diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- loratadine (Claritin)
- hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
There are antihistamine medications available as nasal sprays and eye drops if oral tablets do not suit you. Some of these medications include:
- azelastine (Astepro)
- cromolyn sodium (NasalCrom)
- olopatadine eye drops (Pataday)
Medications to avoid include decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and phenylephrine (Vasopressor).
If you need help covering the cost of medications, the free Optum Perks Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.
