When hay fever symptoms strike people who have high blood pressure, or hypertension, the risk for medication interactions or interventions grows. Some allergy medicines may conflict with antihypertensive medications. Others may increase hypertensive problems through vasoconstriction.
The decongestant drugs pseudoephedrine, oxymetazoline and phenylephrine have this action, and heart patients should not take them. To combat allergy symptoms, however, several safer drug options exist that work via different mechanisms to treat sneezing, watery eyes and itchy, runny or stuffy noses.
Nasal Corticosteroid
Hypertension patients with hay fever can safely take a nasal corticosteroid unless they have allergies to any of the ingredients. Fortunately, physicians prescribe and monitor these nasally administered medications. Allergy medicines such as budesonide, fluticasone and mometasone furoate relieve itching and respiratory symptoms related to seasonal and perennial allergies. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) lists a variety of these steroid nasal sprays to suit most age groups.
Nasal steroids don't hold risks for heart patients, and they don't carry the risk for serious side effects that an oral steroid such as prednisone does. People with high blood pressure who need a convenient, year-round medication may choose nasal steroid sprays for premeasured, once-a-day dosing.
Cromolyn Sodium
Hypertensive individuals who wish to limit their dependence on prescription drugs may select cromolyn sodium allergy medicine. Also a nasal spray, cromolyn sodium needs no prescription and does not adversely affect blood pressure levels. According to the National Institutes of Health, this drug prevents allergy symptoms, rather than acting after onset, and covers the full range of itching and respiratory ailments.
The degree of effectiveness varies among individual patients, and some may require up to 6 doses per day, as the AAAAI reports. Heart patients may find this a small premium to pay for an allergy treatment that is safe enough to take every day or as needed during hay fever season.
Antihistamine
Not all antihistamines can be taken for long terms, but they do provide powerful seasonal allergy relief, with or without prescriptions. Many also cause substantial drowsiness, and some have decongestant components that can harm people with high blood pressure. The AAAAI includes fexofenadine, acrivastine and desloratadine among antihistamine drugs that integrate decongestants in some of their oral, liquid and nasal spray formulas.
The antihistamine mechanism works effectively to quell the excess mucus drainage associated with hay fever, but not the stuffy nose or sinus congestion. Patients with these symptoms, however, should skip the unsafe decongestants in combination allergy medicines in favor of alternatives.
