Can allergies affect blood pressure?
Ask the doctor
Q. Can allergies cause a rise in blood pressure?
A. Allergies don't usually cause a rise in blood pressure, but medicines to treat allergies can do this.
Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Actifed and others) constrict small blood vessels. This can very commonly increase blood pressure. These decongestant ingredients are found in a number of combination treatment products for allergy symptoms. If your favorite allergy product ends with a "D" (for decongestant — an example would be Claritin-D), or if your allergy product advertises that it is a "non-drowsy formula," then it is likely that a decongestant has been added, so read the list of active ingredients closely.
It is worth considering one other way that allergy could raise blood pressure. Nasal congestion can interfere with breathing during your sleep, making it slightly more likely that episodes of sleep apnea might occur. With sleep apnea, a person repeatedly stops breathing. These episodes are short, but the stress of sleep apnea raises blood pressure for hours at a time. If you awaken repeatedly at night, or if a sleeping partner has noticed snoring, choking sounds, or gasping for air during the night, talk to your doctor.
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About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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