Pharmacist issues Sudafed warning for anyone with high blood pressure

Résumé détaillé

A TikTok pharmacist has warned that some popular blocked-nose remedies could affect blood pressure

People with high blood pressure are being urged to take care when choosing medicines for a blocked nose, after a pharmacist issued a warning about a common decongestant. Dr Ethan Melillo, who has more than 680,000 followers on TikTok, told viewers that some products could push blood pressure higher.

In one of his videos, the medical professional turned social media star warned against taking Sudafed and other similar medications. He explained: "If you have high blood pressure, you should not be taking Sudafed, you should not be taking anything with pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine.”

According to the NHS, pseudoephedrine is a decongestant used to relieve a blocked nose caused by colds, flu, allergies and sinus infections. However, it warns that the medicine is not suitable for everyone and specifically advises people with high blood pressure to speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a stronger warning for certain patients, saying pseudoephedrine must not be taken by people with very high blood pressure or hypertension that is not controlled by medication. The regulator also says it should not be used by people with severe kidney disease or kidney failure.

Dr Melillo said: "These medications will actually increase your blood pressure, so you want to avoid them." Anyone taking medication for hypertension should check with a pharmacist before buying a cold or flu remedy, as combination products can contain more than one active ingredient.

The pharmacist also discussed alternatives for people struggling with nasal congestion, recommending saline nasal spray. NHS guidance lists salt-water nasal sprays and solutions as options that can help with blocked-nose symptoms, including those linked to allergic rhinitis.

Saline products work differently from medicated decongestants, as they use a salt-water solution to help clear the nose rather than relying on a drug such as pseudoephedrine.

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