Is Penicillin Safe To Take With High Blood Pressure Meds?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses the safety of taking penicillin with blood pressure medication.

Question
Is penicillin safe to take with high blood pressure medication?

Answered by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist
Staff
Last updated Apr 01, 2025
Key points
- Penicillin is generally safe for individuals with high blood pressure and is compatible with most blood pressure medications. It does not significantly affect blood pressure and has minor interactions with certain diuretics. There are no major interactions with commonly used blood pressure medication classes like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and beta-blockers.
Answer
Thank you for reaching out with your question! Your question is rather broad since there are numerous medications falling under the classification of 'high blood pressure medications.' Nevertheless, in general, penicillin is considered safe to take if you have high blood pressure. It is not known to increase blood pressure, and it is generally compatible with most blood pressure medications, although some precautions should be considered, as explained in the following sections.
Penicillin And Blood Pressure Medications
As mentioned earlier, penicillin does not have a notable impact on blood pressure, meaning a standard course of this antibiotic should not lead to an increase or decrease in blood pressure.
Furthermore, when it comes to interactions with blood pressure medications, penicillin is generally safe with most of them. In fact, penicillin, while having some clinically significant interactions, is not typically associated with major interactions with most drugs. This is primarily due to penicillin primarily being eliminated through the kidneys via glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. Penicillin does not significantly affect liver metabolizing enzymes, which can be a major contributor to drug interactions.
However, it's worth noting that there are minor interactions between penicillin and certain diuretics, such as furosemide and Ethacrynic Acid. These interactions are considered minor though.
The mechanism behind these interactions involves potential competition between furosemide/ethacrynic Acid and penicillin for renal tubular secretion, resulting in elevated penicillin serum concentrations. Although there is a slight chance of an elevated risk of penicillin-related side effects like nausea and diarrhea, it's not considered a major concern.
There are no major interactions between penicillin and commonly used blood pressure medication classes, which include:
- ACE Inhibitors
- ARBs (Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers)
- Beta-blockers
Overall, as a general statement, penicillin can safely be taken by individuals with high blood pressure and those who are on most medications to treat high blood pressure.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for reaching out, and I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any further questions or need more clarification, please don't hesitate to ask.
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Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
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