It's Topic Tuesday!

Today is Topic Tuesday at Aortic Hope!

Allergy season is HERE...for some of us at least. It is a perfect time to remind everyone why not all allergy medications are created equal and could potentially cause a negative reaction for those of us watching our blood pressure.

In an article found in ScriptSave Well RX written by Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD titled Allergy Medicines and Hypertension, detailed information is outlined as to why and how some allergy medications may adversely affect you.

"You should avoid decongestants if you have high blood pressure or heart problems. Decongestants constrict (narrow) blood vessels to open nasal passages and facilitate breathing. Because decongestants constrict blood vessels throughout your body, they can worsen hypertension. Additionally, decongestants stimulate the release of norepinephrine in your body, which raises your blood pressure and your heart rate.

When choosing an allergy medication, be aware of combination products that contain decongestants. Products that contain a decongestant typically have the words sinus, cold, congestion, or decongestant on the label. They may also be labeled with the letters D, PD, or PE after the name.

Examples of allergy medicines that contain decongestants include the following:

Allegra D (fexofenadine and pseudoephedrine)

Benadryl D (diphenhydramine and pseudoephedrine)

Clarinex D (desloratadine and pseudoephedrine)

Claritin D (loratadine and pseudoephedrine)

Sudafed Sinus and Allergy (chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine)

Zyrtec D (cetirizine and pseudoephedrine)

The list above is a small sample of allergy medications that contain decongestants. Always check with your pharmacist and physician before choosing allergy medications."

To read this very interesting article in it's entirety, please click here