Could my blood pressure medication be causing my hot flashes to return?
Ask the doctor
Q. I've been taking low-dose estrogen hormone therapy for two years for hot flashes. I recently also started high blood pressure medicine. Now I have hot flashes again. Could the high blood pressure medicine be making the hormone therapy less effective at controlling hot flashes?
A. Most women with hot flashes related to menopause will notice that the number and intensity of the hot flashes decrease over time. So it is a bit unusual that you are having more hot flashes now.
I could not find any important interactions between the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medications and estrogen. However, some blood pressure medications do cause flushing in the face with a warm feeling that could feel similar to hot flashes. The blood pressure medications most likely to cause that reaction are:
- nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat)
- amlodipine (Norvasc)
- nicardipine (Cardene)
- felodipine (Plendil).
You might also consider reasons other than blood pressure medication for redness and warmth in your face. Perhaps it is a different medication. For example, niacin (vitamin B3) often causes facial flushing. Or perhaps you have developed rosacea, a common skin condition that causes the face to get red and warm.
Image: © Andrii Borodai/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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