Nasal Sprays and Blood Pressure (2024)

FAQs

Nasal Sprays and Blood Pressure? ›

Decongestants help open a stuffy nose. The medicines narrow blood vessels, which can reduce swelling in the nose area and other parts of the body. But it's harder for blood to flow through a narrowed blood vessel. This can increase blood pressure.

Unfortunately, the drug doesn't affect only the head — it tightens blood vessels throughout the body. One pseudoephedrine side effect is a possible increase in blood pressure.

Therefore, due to the risks associated with nasal decongestants and corticosteroids for people with high blood pressure, you should use antihistamines or saline-based nasal sprays. However, it's always important to double-check that your OTC antihistamine spray doesn't contain decongestants.

For those with high blood pressure, phenylephrine is an alternative to pseudoephedrine. They are in the same drug class known as nasal decongestants, which help relieve sinus congestion and pressure. You can buy products containing phenylephrine right off the shelf at the pharmacy.

If your allergies cause nasal congestion at night, they could interfere with your breathing when you sleep. This can promote, or worsen, the type of gasping-for-breath snoring known as sleep apnea, which can raise blood pressure.

FLONASE Allergy Relief has a well-established safety profile. FLONASE Allergy Relief is NOT associated with: Higher blood pressure and is not contraindicated in patients with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, or kidney disease.

Some may contain warnings that advise against taking if you have high blood pressure. Others contain high levels of sodium, which can also increase blood pressure. Some OTC decongestants contain pseudoephedrine, a drug that works by constricting the blood vessels to reduce nasal swelling.

You should not use this medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled diseases such as glaucoma, asthma or COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or overactive thyroid.

Is Mucinex ok for high blood pressure? ›

No, Mucinex does not raise blood pressure. It does not have any ingredients that affect blood pressure. Therefore, it is considered safe in people with high blood pressure.

As per Ayurveda, honey and water could do wonders to bring high blood pressure levels in control. According to 'The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies' by Dr. Vasant Lad, "Add a teaspoon of honey and 5 to 10 drops of apple cider vinegar to a cup of hot water, and drink it early in the morning.

If you suffer from cold, cough or flu symptoms, try Coricidin HBP products. Topical nasal decongestants such as Afrin (oxymetazoline), Neo-Synephrine (phenylephrine), Privine (naphazoline), and Vicks VapoRub Inhaler (l-desoxyephedrine/levmetamfetamine) can also cause an increase in blood pressure.

Dehydration can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) by constricting blood vessels, while many medications that doctors prescribe to treat hypertension may cause dehydration. Because of this, those with hypertension must stay hydrated and maintain a healthy lifestyle to manage their high blood pressure.

Overusing nasal sprays can also lead to rebound congestion. If you have been using a nasal spray for three days and your symptoms aren't any better, they're getting worse, or you have serious side effects like trouble with your vision or dizziness, stop using the nasal spray and call your provider.

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER. Pseudoephedrine is associated with an increase of less than 2 mmHg in systolic blood pressure systolic blood pressure (SBP) and no effect on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in patients with hypertension.

The active ingredient in Afrin, oxymetazoline, works by binding to certain receptors in your nose called alpha-adrenergic receptors. This signals your blood vessels to constrict, which reduces inflammation. Nasal congestion is primarily caused by mucosal inflammation.