Cholesterol Medicine & Blood Pressure!
QUESTION: Can cholesterol medicine raise blood pressure?
ANSWER: Hi there,
This is a very important question, because several people think that drugs used in the cholesterol reduction therapy are causing elevation of the blood pressure.
This is not true if one is taking the medicines approved by the FDA.
However, there are several other drugs, which are used from a lot of people in purpose to reduce cholesterol.
The bad thing is that no one can inform you about the possible side effects, like elevation of the blood pressure of drugs which are not approved by FDA.
With regards to statins, they are not causing elevation of the blood pressure. You have to know that a drug can raise the blood pressure if it causes elevation of the volume of the circulating blood or if it increases the tonus of the blood vessels - vasoconstriction.
Statins are not related with any of the mentioned things, because they are inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reducatese (Hydroxyl-Methyl- Glutaryl Coenzyme A).
This enzyme is related only with the synthesis of cholesterol, which has nothing to with the amount of the circulating blood or with the tonus of the blood vessels.
The inactive substances of some drugs are able to cause side effects, but the inactive substances of the statins are not causing side effects resulting to no elevation of the blood pressure.
Moreover, you should take some advice regarding your lifestyle and diet changes to keep blood pressure under control.
Hope it helped!
Dr.Alba
Cholesterol & blood pressure pill altogether?
QUESTION: Should a cholesterol pill be taken with a blood pressure pill?
ANSWER: Hi there,
It is good that you want to know something more about the drug interactions. In purpose to be more accurate, I just want to ask you the name of the blood pressure lowering pill, which you are taking.
This is quite important because there are several types of pills, which are used with blood pressure lowering purpose.
It is true that in most cases the cholesterol pill is combined with another drug that lowers your blood pressure.
This is made with the single purpose to reduce the elevated amount of cholesterol in your blood, which is caused by the high blood pressure.
As you probably know high cholesterol level is causing atherosclerosis, a very dangerous condition, which forces the doctors use cholesterol drug to stop its development.
On the other hand, the high blood pressure can damage the atherosclerotic plaque in your blood vessels, leading to thrombosis.
Because of this fact, the doctors are trying to stabilize the atherosclerotic plaque and to prevent its damage.
This is achieved through a combination of a lowering cholesterol drug together with another drug, which is lowering your blood pressure.
You have to know that there is no drug interaction between the statins and most of the drugs, which are lowering your blood pressure.
However, some of the beta blockers are causing headaches, vomiting and other mild side effects, when they are combined with statins. These side effects are appearing during the first days of the therapy and they may last no more than 5-7 days.
However in purpose to improve your lipid status and to lower your blood pressure, you have to follow the instructions of your doctor strictly.
All the best!
Dr.Alba
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