Is Histex DM Safe To Take If You Have High Blood Pressure?

Answer

Thanks so much for reaching out. I'm happy to answer this for you.

First and foremost, let's list the ingredients contained in Histex-DM:

• Dextromethorphan
• Triprolidine
• Phenylephrine

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant, triprolidine is an antihistamine and phenylephrine is a nasal decongestant.

Safe With High Blood Pressure?

In general, any medication that contains a nasal decongestant, like phenylephrine, is going to have a precaution for those who have high blood pressure or take high blood pressure medication.

This is because nasal decongestants are associated with causing small increases in blood pressure, which could put some individuals more at risk for negative outcomes.

Now, it must be said that research is quite conflicting on just how much nasal decongestants can increase blood pressure.

Some studies report that phenylephrine, at usual doses, does not increase blood pressure:

Phenylephrine showed no consistent effect on heart rate or blood pressure for doses of 25 mg or less

However, other studies have noted that phenylephrine may be a culprit in some case reports documenting individuals experiencing high blood pressure after taking the medication.

The consensus on the matter is that oral decongestants, like phenylephrine, could potentially increase blood pressure, but not for everyone, and generally only to a mild degree (one study noted an average increase of 1.2mmHg with a similar decongestant, pseudoephedrine).

However, and this is an important point, there aren't any long-term studies that have evaluated the safety of nasal decongestants in someone who has blood pressure, so we don't have long-term outcomes data.

Recommendations

I recommend talking to your doctor regarding whether or not a medication that contains a nasal decongestant is right for you, as everyone's medical situation is different.

In my experience, if someone has been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and it is controlled, and they don't have other risk factors (such as a prior heart attack), the short-term use of a nasal decongestant is generally safe.

However, as mentioned, I recommend talking to your doctor so they can provide specific guidance for you.

Final Words

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