Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhen to StopWhen Not to StepSide EffectsStopping SafelyTalk With a ProviderReasons to Stop
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
When to Stop
When Not to Step
Side Effects
Stopping Safely
Talk With a Provider
Reasons to Stop
Although lifestyle changes can help you remove these risks and control your blood pressure without medication, you should not stop taking blood pressure medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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When It May Be Possible to Stop
Whether it’s safe to stop your blood pressure medication depends on what’s causing your hypertension. The factors that contribute tohigh blood pressuregenerally fall into two categories: modifiable and unmodifiable.
Modifiable factors are things you can change. Those include:
Lifestyle changes that help you to address one or more of these factors may help you control your blood pressure.
What Is Normal Blood Pressure?In 2017, the American College of Cardiology lowered what’s considered the normal blood pressure range. The upper limit used to be 140/90 mm Hg. It’s now 120/80 mm Hg.
What Is Normal Blood Pressure?
In 2017, the American College of Cardiology lowered what’s considered the normal blood pressure range. The upper limit used to be 140/90 mm Hg. It’s now 120/80 mm Hg.
Lifestyle Changes to Lower Blood Pressure
If you have difficulty making any of the above lifestyle changes, your healthcare provider can help you find support resources.
Hypertension Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
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When You Shouldn’t Stop
For people with non-modifiable risk factors, lifestyle changes may not be enough to lower blood pressure enough to stop blood pressure medications.
Causes of high blood pressurethat you can’t change include:
However, treating conditions that contribute to high blood pressure may help lower it.
More than 90% of the time, the exact cause of hypertension is unknown. This is called “primary” or “essential” hypertension.
If your high blood pressure is due to non-modifiable factors, you may not be able to stop taking your medication.
This is especially true as you get older. Age is a risk factor for hypertension. It also makes it harder to manage chronic illness.
Side Effects and Risks
Always check with your healthcare provider before stopping blood pressure medication. Quitting abruptly may cause rebound hypertension and serious health risks including:
Stopping medication abruptly can cause serious symptoms. For example, the beta-blocker propranolol may cause chest pain or a heart attack if it’s stopped suddenly.
Other side effects of stopping your blood pressure medication include:
How to Stop Safely
The decision to stop blood pressure drugs needs to be based on:
Research has yet to establish exactly how long you should have normal blood pressure before stopping meds. But studies suggest waiting anywhere from six months to two years.It may be time to discuss a trial period without medication if:
If your healthcare provider agrees it is safe for you to stop taking your blood pressure medicine, follow their instructions carefully.
This should only be done under the guidance of your healthcare provider since you will need to be monitored closely for side effects and to see how the change affects your blood pressure. You will also need to be monitored after you’ve completely stopped your medication to make sure that your blood pressure does not become high again.
If you’re on more than one type of medication, you will only be able to taper one of them at a time.
Is It Safe to Skip a Dose?If you accidentally miss a dose of blood pressure medication, you should take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take more than one dose of medication at a time. Doing so can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Is It Safe to Skip a Dose?
If you accidentally miss a dose of blood pressure medication, you should take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take more than one dose of medication at a time. Doing so can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Talk With Your Healthcare Provider
Making healthier lifestyle choices is about more than avoiding medications. It’s also about improving the quality and length of your life.
Despite lifestyle changes, your healthcare provider may not want you to stop taking blood pressure medication. Listen to their reasons and try not to get discouraged.
In addition, your provider’s recommendation doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in poor health. Your provider may just believe the benefits of treatment outweigh the potential risks of stopping.
While you might not like taking pharmaceutical drugs, know there’s nothing inherently bad about takinghypertension medications.Antihypertensivemedications aren’t addictive, and theside effectsare generally manageable.
There are several kinds of blood pressure medication to choose from. Research suggests different types work for different people.Your healthcare provider can help you decide which medication is best for you.
When Your Healthcare Provider May Recommend Stopping
Under some circumstances, your healthcare provider may recommend stopping your blood pressure medication.
Pregnancy
Medications known as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are not safe to take during pregnancy.If you are taking these medications and trying to conceive or become pregnant, your healthcare provider may change your medication or tell you to stop altogether.
Blood pressure drugs commonly believed to be safer during pregnancy include methyldopa and labetalol. If these don’t work, second-line drugs include nifedipine, verapamil, and clonidine, among others.
Prior to Surgery
Some hypertension medications, such as ARBs like losartan or valsartan, increase the risk of low blood pressure during surgery. If you are having surgery, the surgeon or anesthesiologist will let you know if and when to stop taking your medication.
Some people have negative side effects from medications that make it difficult to continue taking them. Side effects of common blood pressure medications include:
If you are experiencing uncomfortable side effects of blood pressure medication, talk to your healthcare provider.
Summary
You can change some factors that contribute to high blood pressure, such as eating too much salt or smoking. You can’t change others, like age and chronic conditions.
With modifiable factors, lifestyle changes may help you get off meds. Talk about this with your healthcare provider. With non-modifiable factors, you may not be able to stop taking medication. Listen to your provider even if you disagree.
Blood pressure drugs are generally safe and non-addictive. And if one doesn’t work well for you, a different type might.
A Word From VerywellSome people are able to stop their blood pressure medicine after making aggressive and often difficult lifestyle changes, but hypertension is still a serious health concern. The decision to stop these medications has to be made jointly with your healthcare provider, and only after you have agreed on a plan for monitoring your blood pressure over both the short and long term.—RICHARD N. FOGOROS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Some people are able to stop their blood pressure medicine after making aggressive and often difficult lifestyle changes, but hypertension is still a serious health concern. The decision to stop these medications has to be made jointly with your healthcare provider, and only after you have agreed on a plan for monitoring your blood pressure over both the short and long term.—RICHARD N. FOGOROS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Some people are able to stop their blood pressure medicine after making aggressive and often difficult lifestyle changes, but hypertension is still a serious health concern. The decision to stop these medications has to be made jointly with your healthcare provider, and only after you have agreed on a plan for monitoring your blood pressure over both the short and long term.
—RICHARD N. FOGOROS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Hypertension Treatment Options
21 SourcesVerywell 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.Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. J Am Coll Cardio. 2018;71(19):e127-e248. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006American Heart Association.Changes you can make to manage high blood pressure.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.DASH eating plan.American Heart Association.Getting active to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining weight to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining stress to control high blood pressure.Saladini F, Benetti E, Fania C, Mos L, Casiglia E, Palatini P.Effects of smoking on central blood pressure and pressure amplification in hypertension of the young.Vasc Med. 2016;21(5):422-428. doi:10.1177/1358863X16647509American Heart Association.Smoking, high blood pressure, and your health.American Hearth Association.Limiting alcohol to manage high blood pressure.Scott H, Lechat B, Guyett A, et al.Sleep irregularity is associated with hypertension: findings from over 2 million nights with a large global population sample.Hypertension. 2023;80(5):1117-1126. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20513Fuchs FD, Whelton PK.High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.Hypertension. 2020;75(2):285-292. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.14240Yaxley J, Thambar S.Resistant hypertension: An approach to management in primary care.J Fam Med Prim Care. 2015;4(2):193. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.154630Sun Z.Aging, arterial stiffness, and hypertension.Hypertension. 2015;65(2):252-256. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.114.03617National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Propranolol (cardiovascular).Bereda G.Antihypertensive medications: Explanation, mechanisms of action, adverse drug reaction, and drug interaction.Int J Chem Life Sci. 2021;10(5):2131-44.van der Wardt V, Harrison JK, Welsh T, Conroy S, Gladman J.Withdrawal of antihypertensive medication.J Hypertens. 2017;35(9):1742-1749. doi:10.1097/hjh.0000000000001405Sheppard JP, Benetos A, McManus RJ.Antihypertensive deprescribing in older adults: A practical guide.Curr Hypertens Rep2022;24:571–580. doi:10.1007/s11906-022-01215-3Carnovale C, Perrotta C, Baldelli S, et al.Antihypertensive drugs and brain function: mechanisms underlying therapeutically beneficial and harmful neuropsychiatric effects.Cardiovasc Res. 2022;119(3):647–667. doi:10.1093/cvr/cvac110Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32317-7Brown CM, Garovic VD.Drug treatment of hypertension in pregnancy.Drugs. 2014;74(3):283–96. doi:10.1007/s40265-014-0187-7American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.Additional ReadingCook R, Lamont T, Martin R; NIHR Dissemination Centre.Lifestyle changes may be more important than drugs for mild hypertension.BMJ. 2019;364:l571. Published 2019 Feb 15. doi:10.1136/bmj.l571Langan R, Jones K.Common questions about the initial management of hypertension.Am Fam Physician.2015 Feb 1;91(3):172-7.
21 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.Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. J Am Coll Cardio. 2018;71(19):e127-e248. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006American Heart Association.Changes you can make to manage high blood pressure.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.DASH eating plan.American Heart Association.Getting active to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining weight to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining stress to control high blood pressure.Saladini F, Benetti E, Fania C, Mos L, Casiglia E, Palatini P.Effects of smoking on central blood pressure and pressure amplification in hypertension of the young.Vasc Med. 2016;21(5):422-428. doi:10.1177/1358863X16647509American Heart Association.Smoking, high blood pressure, and your health.American Hearth Association.Limiting alcohol to manage high blood pressure.Scott H, Lechat B, Guyett A, et al.Sleep irregularity is associated with hypertension: findings from over 2 million nights with a large global population sample.Hypertension. 2023;80(5):1117-1126. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20513Fuchs FD, Whelton PK.High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.Hypertension. 2020;75(2):285-292. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.14240Yaxley J, Thambar S.Resistant hypertension: An approach to management in primary care.J Fam Med Prim Care. 2015;4(2):193. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.154630Sun Z.Aging, arterial stiffness, and hypertension.Hypertension. 2015;65(2):252-256. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.114.03617National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Propranolol (cardiovascular).Bereda G.Antihypertensive medications: Explanation, mechanisms of action, adverse drug reaction, and drug interaction.Int J Chem Life Sci. 2021;10(5):2131-44.van der Wardt V, Harrison JK, Welsh T, Conroy S, Gladman J.Withdrawal of antihypertensive medication.J Hypertens. 2017;35(9):1742-1749. doi:10.1097/hjh.0000000000001405Sheppard JP, Benetos A, McManus RJ.Antihypertensive deprescribing in older adults: A practical guide.Curr Hypertens Rep2022;24:571–580. doi:10.1007/s11906-022-01215-3Carnovale C, Perrotta C, Baldelli S, et al.Antihypertensive drugs and brain function: mechanisms underlying therapeutically beneficial and harmful neuropsychiatric effects.Cardiovasc Res. 2022;119(3):647–667. doi:10.1093/cvr/cvac110Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32317-7Brown CM, Garovic VD.Drug treatment of hypertension in pregnancy.Drugs. 2014;74(3):283–96. doi:10.1007/s40265-014-0187-7American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.Additional ReadingCook R, Lamont T, Martin R; NIHR Dissemination Centre.Lifestyle changes may be more important than drugs for mild hypertension.BMJ. 2019;364:l571. Published 2019 Feb 15. doi:10.1136/bmj.l571Langan R, Jones K.Common questions about the initial management of hypertension.Am Fam Physician.2015 Feb 1;91(3):172-7.
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.
Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. J Am Coll Cardio. 2018;71(19):e127-e248. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006American Heart Association.Changes you can make to manage high blood pressure.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.DASH eating plan.American Heart Association.Getting active to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining weight to control high blood pressure.American Heart Association.Maintaining stress to control high blood pressure.Saladini F, Benetti E, Fania C, Mos L, Casiglia E, Palatini P.Effects of smoking on central blood pressure and pressure amplification in hypertension of the young.Vasc Med. 2016;21(5):422-428. doi:10.1177/1358863X16647509American Heart Association.Smoking, high blood pressure, and your health.American Hearth Association.Limiting alcohol to manage high blood pressure.Scott H, Lechat B, Guyett A, et al.Sleep irregularity is associated with hypertension: findings from over 2 million nights with a large global population sample.Hypertension. 2023;80(5):1117-1126. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20513Fuchs FD, Whelton PK.High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.Hypertension. 2020;75(2):285-292. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.14240Yaxley J, Thambar S.Resistant hypertension: An approach to management in primary care.J Fam Med Prim Care. 2015;4(2):193. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.154630Sun Z.Aging, arterial stiffness, and hypertension.Hypertension. 2015;65(2):252-256. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.114.03617National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Propranolol (cardiovascular).Bereda G.Antihypertensive medications: Explanation, mechanisms of action, adverse drug reaction, and drug interaction.Int J Chem Life Sci. 2021;10(5):2131-44.van der Wardt V, Harrison JK, Welsh T, Conroy S, Gladman J.Withdrawal of antihypertensive medication.J Hypertens. 2017;35(9):1742-1749. doi:10.1097/hjh.0000000000001405Sheppard JP, Benetos A, McManus RJ.Antihypertensive deprescribing in older adults: A practical guide.Curr Hypertens Rep2022;24:571–580. doi:10.1007/s11906-022-01215-3Carnovale C, Perrotta C, Baldelli S, et al.Antihypertensive drugs and brain function: mechanisms underlying therapeutically beneficial and harmful neuropsychiatric effects.Cardiovasc Res. 2022;119(3):647–667. doi:10.1093/cvr/cvac110Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32317-7Brown CM, Garovic VD.Drug treatment of hypertension in pregnancy.Drugs. 2014;74(3):283–96. doi:10.1007/s40265-014-0187-7American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.
Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. J Am Coll Cardio. 2018;71(19):e127-e248. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006
American Heart Association.Changes you can make to manage high blood pressure.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.DASH eating plan.
American Heart Association.Getting active to control high blood pressure.
American Heart Association.Maintaining weight to control high blood pressure.
American Heart Association.Maintaining stress to control high blood pressure.
Saladini F, Benetti E, Fania C, Mos L, Casiglia E, Palatini P.Effects of smoking on central blood pressure and pressure amplification in hypertension of the young.Vasc Med. 2016;21(5):422-428. doi:10.1177/1358863X16647509
American Heart Association.Smoking, high blood pressure, and your health.
American Hearth Association.Limiting alcohol to manage high blood pressure.
Scott H, Lechat B, Guyett A, et al.Sleep irregularity is associated with hypertension: findings from over 2 million nights with a large global population sample.Hypertension. 2023;80(5):1117-1126. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20513
Fuchs FD, Whelton PK.High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.Hypertension. 2020;75(2):285-292. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.14240
Yaxley J, Thambar S.Resistant hypertension: An approach to management in primary care.J Fam Med Prim Care. 2015;4(2):193. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.154630
Sun Z.Aging, arterial stiffness, and hypertension.Hypertension. 2015;65(2):252-256. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.114.03617
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Propranolol (cardiovascular).
Bereda G.Antihypertensive medications: Explanation, mechanisms of action, adverse drug reaction, and drug interaction.Int J Chem Life Sci. 2021;10(5):2131-44.
van der Wardt V, Harrison JK, Welsh T, Conroy S, Gladman J.Withdrawal of antihypertensive medication.J Hypertens. 2017;35(9):1742-1749. doi:10.1097/hjh.0000000000001405
Sheppard JP, Benetos A, McManus RJ.Antihypertensive deprescribing in older adults: A practical guide.Curr Hypertens Rep2022;24:571–580. doi:10.1007/s11906-022-01215-3
Carnovale C, Perrotta C, Baldelli S, et al.Antihypertensive drugs and brain function: mechanisms underlying therapeutically beneficial and harmful neuropsychiatric effects.Cardiovasc Res. 2022;119(3):647–667. doi:10.1093/cvr/cvac110
Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32317-7
Brown CM, Garovic VD.Drug treatment of hypertension in pregnancy.Drugs. 2014;74(3):283–96. doi:10.1007/s40265-014-0187-7
American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.
Cook R, Lamont T, Martin R; NIHR Dissemination Centre.Lifestyle changes may be more important than drugs for mild hypertension.BMJ. 2019;364:l571. Published 2019 Feb 15. doi:10.1136/bmj.l571Langan R, Jones K.Common questions about the initial management of hypertension.Am Fam Physician.2015 Feb 1;91(3):172-7.
Cook R, Lamont T, Martin R; NIHR Dissemination Centre.Lifestyle changes may be more important than drugs for mild hypertension.BMJ. 2019;364:l571. Published 2019 Feb 15. doi:10.1136/bmj.l571
Langan R, Jones K.Common questions about the initial management of hypertension.Am Fam Physician.2015 Feb 1;91(3):172-7.
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