Food that Interact with Blood Pressure Medication
Millions of Americans take blood pressure medication every day. And while this kind of medication is primarily safe to take, certain dietary factors must be considered while you are taking your medication.
Blood pressure medication attempts to balance the electrolyte levels in your body. Therefore, medications that include amiloride, a kind of diuretic, should be taken with a strict attention to the amount of potassium-containing foods consumed in your diet. Foods like honeydew melon, bananas, kiwi, prunes, potatoes and citrus fruits should be limited or time accordingly in conjunction with when you take your blood pressure medication.
In addition, grapefruit and certain kinds of citrus have recently made news for their potential to disrupt the absorption and effectiveness of medications – particularly antihypertensive drugs called the calcium channel blockers, or CCBs. While CCBs are not the most common form of blood pressure medications, they are prescribed when other common meds don’t improve blood pressure numbers. Compounds in the citrus can interfere with the medication by allowing for more of the medication to stay in the system rather than be broken down and metabolized.
If you are concerned that about your diet and blood pressure medication, work with your doctor and a registered dietician to make sure you stick to your safe medication routine and a healthy diet.