Is Amoxicillin Safe With High Blood Pressure Medication?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to take amoxicillin if you are taking medication for high blood pressure.
I have a tooth infection. My dentist told me to take amoxicillin three times per day; however, I’m on high blood pressure pills as well. Is it okay to take these together? Are there any side effects? Thanks
Sep 28, 2022- There are no interactions between amoxicillin and high blood pressure medications, so it is safe to take them together.
- Amoxicillin does not cause increases in blood pressure.
- Most people who experience side effects from amoxicillin have gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Answer
There are no interactions between amoxicillin and high blood pressure medications. It is considered safe to take both types of medication together. Amoxicillin is also not known to cause any increases in blood pressure so should be safe in those who have been diagnosed with it.
Amoxicillin also does not interact with most common blood pressure medications.
Amoxicillin Information
Amoxicillin is typically a well-tolerated drug with the following possible side effects:
- Candidiasis infections (yeast infections)
- Hypersensitivity reactions including rashes, urticaria (hives), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and anaphylaxis
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Black hairy tongue
- Anemia
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Confusion
- Behavioral changes
If side effects are experienced, most patients will complain of the gastrointestinal side effects of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
As with any antibiotic, it is important to take the medication exactly as prescribed and to finish the full course of therapy. If taking an antibiotic to treat an infection, this means that patients should not stop the antibiotic when they start to feel better. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends finishing all antibiotics as directed by your doctor. This helps in the prevention of the bacteria developing resistance to the antibiotics that are being prescribed.
There is emerging evidence that antibiotic treatment length may be able to be shortened, meaning patients may not need to take some treatments for as long of a time. However, this is new information and more studies will need to be done before changes in recommended treatment lengths are changed.
Final Words
Thanks for your question! You can feel safe taking amoxicillin with your high blood pressure meds.
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Amoxicillin
- An antibiotic medication used to treat bacterial infections.
- Candidiasis
- A fungal infection caused by yeast, commonly known as a yeast infection.
- Hypersensitivity reactions
- Abnormal immune system responses to a medication that can cause allergic symptoms.
- Urticaria
- A skin condition characterized by raised, itchy welts, commonly called hives.
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- A severe and potentially life-threatening skin and mucous membrane reaction, usually caused by medication or infection.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rapidly after exposure to an allergen.
- Anemia
- A condition in which the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen effectively.
- Antibiotic resistance
- The ability of bacteria to survive and multiply despite the presence of antibiotics designed to kill them.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
More answers from Brian →