Instead, blood pressure may need to be monitored, particularly after starting treatment or changing the dose.
Never abruptly stop an antidepressant without medical guidance.
- Some Hormonal Birth Control
Certain hormonal contraceptives can increase blood pressure in some people.
The risk can vary depending on the formulation and individual factors.
Mayo Clinic notes that the likelihood of hypertension associated with hormonal birth control may be greater in people who are older than 35, overweight, or smoke.
If someone already has hypertension, their healthcare professional can help determine which contraceptive option is appropriate.
- Certain Herbal Supplements
“Natural” does not automatically mean safe for someone with hypertension.
Some herbal supplements can raise blood pressure or interact with blood-pressure medicines.
Examples identified by Mayo Clinic include licorice, ginseng, bitter orange, guarana, St. John’s wort and ephedra (ma-huang).
This is particularly important because supplements aren’t always discussed during routine medical visits.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every supplement you take, even if it seems harmless.
- Caffeine Pills and High-Caffeine Products
Caffeine can temporarily raise blood pressure, particularly in people who don’t regularly consume it.
The effect varies considerably between individuals, and current evidence doesn’t establish that caffeine causes sustained hypertension in everyone.
Still, people who notice significant changes after caffeine should discuss them with their healthcare professional.
Be particularly careful with products containing concentrated caffeine, including some energy products and caffeine tablets.
Be Careful With Combination Cold Medicines
One of the easiest mistakes is looking only at the brand name.
A product labeled for:
“Cold & Flu,” “Sinus,” “Multi-Symptom,” or “Daytime Relief”
may contain several active ingredients.
One of them could be a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine.
That’s why reading the Active Ingredients section is more useful than relying on the product’s front label.
Mayo Clinic recommends choosing cold products made for people with high blood pressure and checking carefully for decongestants.
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