Learn About Supplements And Medications That Increase Blood Pressure

St. John's Wort

St. John's wort's a common herbal supplement. Ladies, you've likely heard of it as an option for treating mild depression. However, this supplement also increases your blood pressure! That's why it's not recommended when you have hypertension. Some studies even say that it will cause dangerous increases even when you don't have high blood pressure. One example is a case involving a 41-year-old man. He had a hypertensive crisis after taking St. John's wort for 7 days! He needed the emergency room because of delirium, and his recorded blood pressure was 210/140 mm Hg! The sad part, ladies, is that he said he followed the bottle's instructions and wasn't taking anything else.

Ladies, the dangerous side effect of high blood pressure is why your doctor will likely tell you to try a prescription antidepressant first. It's also worth noting that St. John's wort has serious issues when it's combined with other medicines. Tell your doctor when you want to take this so they can check for these interactions!

Antidepressants

Sadly, some antidepressants increase your blood pressure too. Ladies, examples of the ones that do are MAOIs, tricyclic antidepressants, fluoxetine, and venlafaxine! Scientists don't seem to know exactly why this happens. Some say it's because these medications make your nervous system more active. The result is amplifying signals sent to the rest of your body, including the ones that control your blood pressure!

Thankfully, taking antidepressants when you have high blood pressure is still safe! Ladies, your doctor will likely recommend ones without this as a side effect. If you have to take a risky one anyway, they will start you at a lower dose! They will keep a close eye on your blood pressure too.