Asthmaitself is associated withhigh blood pressure. It’s also possible for asthma medications like albuterol to raise blood pressure. Whilehypertension medications can worsen asthma symptoms, asthma medications usually don’t induce or worsen hypertension. However, there are certain risk factors that may pose some related concerns, including severe heart disease.
When asthma and hypertension occur together, the combination worsens overall health and increases the risk of death, especially if both or either condition is not well controlled.If you have asthma and hypertension, or a high risk for it, your healthcare providers will use caution when prescribing asthma medications.
This article will discuss whether asthma medications, such as albuterol, can raise blood pressure, as well as what makes someone at risk for this effect.
sturti/Getty Images
Does Asthma Medication Raise Blood Pressure?
Your healthcare provider will treat your asthma with the medication that is most likely to control your breathing issues.
In most cases, blood pressure isn’t really a major consideration when it comes to selecting anasthma treatment, and your healthcare provider can select from the range of available asthma medications.
The most common ones include:
Most of the time, medications used for treating asthma are inhaled, so they have a concentrated effect on the lungs and don’t have significant systemic (throughout the body) action. The effect ofasthma inhalerson blood pressure is not measurable except in certain circumstances when people have severe health risks.
Even if you develop hypertension while you are being treated for asthma, your high blood pressure is more likely primary essential hypertension (without a known cause) than a side effect of your asthma medication.
In general, steroids and beta-agonists are the asthma drugs most associated with hypertension. The doses and types used for treating this condition tendnotto cause hypertension for most people, though the possibility exists.
Causes of Hypertension
Steroids
Very high-dose corticosteroids may cause hypertension, but they don’t induce high blood pressure when taken as prescribed for the treatment of asthma.
Inhaled corticosteroids include:
If you have asthma, steroid overdose may induce high blood pressure, however.That is one of several good reasons why you should never take more medication than prescribed. If your symptoms are not adequately managed with the dosage prescribed for you, speak with your healthcare provider.
On the other hand, oral treatments—such as corticosteroid pills—can cause systemic side effects, including hypertension, but the effect is not universal. Oral steroids have many side effects (infections, diabetes, osteoporosis, hormone dysfunction), so they are typically recommended for a short period of time rather than for chronic treatment of asthma.
The Difference Between Inhaled and Oral Corticosteroids for Asthma
Beta-2 Agonists
Beta-2 agonists include long-acting beta-2 agonists (LABAs), used for ongoing asthma management, and short-acting types (SABAs), used for acute attacks.
LABAs include:
SABAs include:
These medications stimulate the body’s beta receptors, expanding the airways to relieve asthma symptoms. While effective for these purposes, beta-2 agonists can complicate hypertension to an extent.
Blood vessels primarily have beta-1 receptors, so the increase in beta-2 activity from these asthma drugs does not cause a substantial change in blood pressure. However, blood vessels do have some beta-2 receptors, and activating them in this way can affect blood pressure (though this is typically minimal).
Note: Some hypertension drugs are specific beta-antagonists, meaning they zero in on only the beta receptors that will help improve blood pressure. Others are non-specific drugs that counteract beta-1 receptorsandbeta-2 receptors, which makes them potentially harmful for people with asthma.
Rescue inhalers, which commonly contain albuterol, can also raise blood pressure. However, this side effect is rare and typically resolves within two to six hours.More common side effects ofalbuterol inhalersinclude:
Due to potential drug-drug interactions, caution should be used when taking albuterol and medications such astricyclic antidepressants (TCA),monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), beta-blockers, certain diuretics, or digoxin.
Common Inhalers for the Treatment of Asthma
Special Considerations
Again, for most people, asthma medications won’t negatively affect blood pressure. But the potential is there and must be considered for certain people.
Heart Disease
Asthma treatments may pose a risk for people who have a pre-existing heart condition. Research suggests that beta-2 agonists can cause blood pressure problems for people who have severe heart disease.
The reason is that beta-agonists can alter the heart rhythm in people who already haveheart conductionproblems (issues related to heart rate and rhythm). Any change in heart function can lead to hypertension, especially if a major cardiac event, such as aheart attack, occurs.
What this means for you is that your healthcare provider might monitor your heart rhythm for changes if you are taking a LABA and or a SABA and already have severe heart disease. If your heart disease worsens or your heart rhythm becomes irregular, your heart function can affect your blood pressure.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can pose some asthma concerns, but for different reasons that are worth noting.
Asthma is associated with an increased risk of maternal hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. This is not correlated with asthma medication use and the cause is not fully understood. However, it does highlight the importance of good asthma control during pregnancy.
Interestingly, pregnant women who have asthma and high blood pressure can experience adecreasedrisk of pregnancy-induced hypertension with the use of short-acting beta-agonists.But blood pressure medication, if needed, could worsen asthma symptoms.
The safest approach is to stick to your recommended asthma medicine dose and alert your healthcare provider if you are experiencing an increase in your asthma symptoms.
If your asthma worsens while you are pregnant, your healthcare provider may need to adjust your asthma treatment plan. But only they can determine what is best for both managing your asthma and your risk of hypertension exacerbation.
There is a slightly increased risk of birth malformations in babies born to women who have asthma. Research shows that this is not associated with the medication used for treating asthma, but rather the effect of asthma itself.
Researchers Propose Lowering Blood Pressure Guidelines During Pregnancy
What to Do About Hypertension and Asthma
If you are worried about increased blood pressure from asthma medications, speak to your healthcare provider. Be sure to take your medications as prescribed, and if needed, monitor your blood pressure at home.
If you have signs and symptoms of a hypertensive emergency, seek help right away. Call 911 if your blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher and you have any of the following symptoms:
Summary
While asthma and hypertension often occur together, experts agree that the risk of this comorbidity could be due to issues like inflammation and genetics, and is not related to the use of asthma medication.
Managing asthma requires taking your other medical conditions and medications into account. That’s why it is so important that you list all of your illnesses and medications whenever you see a healthcare provider for any reason. You are likely to be prescribed a lower dose of asthma medication (with fewer potential side effects) if you take them as scheduled and avoid your asthma triggers as much as you can.
How Hypertension Medications Affect Asthma
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
StatPearls.Asthma Medications.
Xu M, Xu J, Yang X.Asthma and risk of cardiovascular disease or all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis.Ann Saudi Med. 2017;37(2):99-105.doi:10.5144/0256-4947.2017.99
American Lung Association.Understand your asthma medication.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Inhaled corticosteroids.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Beta2-agonists defined.
Poison Control.Albuterol: Safe Use, Expiration, and Side Effects.
Ajimura CM, Jagan N, Morrow LE, Malesker MA.Drug interactions with oral inhaled medications.Journal of Pharmacy Technology. 2018;34(6):273-280. doi:10.1177/8755122518788809
De vries F, Pouwels S, Bracke M, et al.Use of beta2 agonists and risk of acute myocardial infarction in patients with hypertension.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;65(4):580-6.doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.03077.x
Martel MJ, Rey E, Beauchesne MF, et al.Use of short-acting beta2-agonists during pregnancy and the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2007;119(3):576-82.doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2006.10.034
Eltonsy S, Forget A, Beauchesne MF, Blais L.Risk of congenital malformations for asthmatic pregnant women using a long-acting β₂-agonist and inhaled corticosteroid combination versus higher-dose inhaled corticosteroid monotherapy.J Allergy ClinImmunol. 2015;135(1):123-30.doi10.1016/j.jaci.2014.07.051
American Heart Association.When to call 911 about high blood pressure.
Drugs Affecting the Respiratory System. In: Pharmacology, 2nd Ed, Mycek, MJ, Harvey, RA, Champe, PC (Eds), Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA. p.217-222.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
