Cold Symptoms With Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition of the body where the pressure of blood is always high or elevated. Hypertension can be either essential or secondary. About 95 percent cases of hypertension are essential where no specific cause can be found for such high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension is the result of some other disease in the body like tumors or kidney diseases. Hypertension is the main cause for strokes, heart failure, heart attacks and renal failure. High blood pressure is often termed 'the silent killer' as no specific symptoms can be seen in the body to identify it.

Such a condition can exist within an individual for years without any outward sign. Its symptoms are usually through other organs of the body. Hypertension can damage blood vessels and lead to a stroke. The symptoms that manifest then are fatigue, nausea, dizziness, loss of consciousness and pain in the chest. Often, some medications can raise one's blood pressure or interfere with the treatment of high blood pressure.

People with hypertension should be wary of any cold and flu medications. Most of these medications contain decongestants that help in raising the blood pressure. Many hypertensive patients have unknowingly risked their lives through the intake of cold and flu medications. Any body having a blood pressure on the higher side should consult one's doctor before going for any cold and flu medication. The ingredients of such a medication should be checked before consuming so as to prevent any interference with hypertension medications.

Among the various cold and flu medications, decongestants are the ones that should be kept away from hypertensive patients. Decongestants help to provide relief from nasal stuffiness by constricting the blood vessels. This constriction leads to reduction of the swelling in the nose and opening of nasal passages. However, such blood vessel constrictions affect blood vessels in other parts of the body and lead to an increase in blood pressure. These decongestants also interfere with the chemicals present in the medications for hypertension and release toxic elements into the body.

Rather, a pain reliever like aspirin or acetaminophen can be taken to get relief from fever, sore throat or body and head aches. A saline nasal spray can flush the sinuses and provide relief from nasal congestion. A sore throat can be soothed through gargling with lukewarm salt water or by drinking warm water with lemon and honey. A cool-mist humidifier helps to moisten the air inside the homes and provide relief from coughing. Drinking plenty of fluids like plain water, juice, tea or soups help to clear the mucus and phlegm from the lungs.

Medications having decongestants like pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, naphazoline and oxymetazoline should be avoided to keep the blood pressure in check. Those that do not have any decongestant as an ingredient are considered safe for patients with high blood pressure. Coricidin HBP(R) is one of the cold and flu medications that are free of any decongestants. But even such a medication should be taken only as per the directions of the doctor. Ideally, people suffering from high blood pressure should avoid cold weather so as to minimize the risk of catching cold.

• Janny Raines
• 17/05/2009, 9:59 AM
• 0 Comments