Pharmacist warns common cold and flu medicine can cause issues with your blood
Pharmacist warns common cold and flu medicine can cause issues with your blood
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A common medication taken to lessen flu symptoms may raise your blood pressure, a health expert has warned. Pharmica's Superintendent Pharmacist Carolina Goncalves told the Mirror that both the flu and flu medication can impact your blood pressure. "When you're sick, your body is under stress as it fights off the infection, and that stress can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. In particular, your immune system releases pro-inflammatory cytokines which promote inflammation and the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline," she explained.
"This is especially something to watch out for if you already have high blood pressure (hypertension), as the added strain could push your blood pressure levels higher than normal. Another important factor to consider is fever. When you have a fever, your body’s metabolic rate increases as it works to fight off the infection.
"This heightened activity causes your heart to pump more vigorously to circulate blood faster, ensuring oxygen and immune cells reach affected tissues. This increase in cardiac output can elevate blood pressure by 10-20 points in some individuals, but everyone responds differently. ".
At the same time, decongestants could raise your blood pressure. Goncalves warned: "If your blood pressure is within a healthy range and you have no heart-related concerns, short-term use of decongestants as directed is generally safe. However, for individuals with hypertension, heart disease or other cardiovascular risks, decongestants might not be advisable.".
