Certain over-the-counter medicines and products can cause problems for people who take medications to treat high blood pressure. For example:

• Herbal supplements, such as ginseng and ephedra, can raise blood pressure or interfere with blood pressure medicines.
• Decongestants, such as those found in cold and allergy medicines, can raise your blood pressure.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can cause you to retain water, which may increase blood pressure.
• Vitamin K, which is found in legumes and leafy green vegetables, can make certain blood thinners less effective.

Check with your physician or pharmacist before you take any herb, vitamin, or nonprescription medication. Ask if a certain product is safe for people who have high blood pressure.

Visit our Web site to learn more about foods and supplements that may interact with medications. Go to www.HorizonBlue.com/Pharmacy, then highlight “Reference Tools” and click on “Drug to Drug Interaction” from the drop-down menu.