Study: Mixing BP Drugs and Antibiotics Can Be Dangerous for Seniors

A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal is highlighting the dangers of seniors combining blood pressure drugs with antibiotics.

Specifically, older adults who take blood pressure drugs known as calcium channel blockers could experience a severe drop in blood pressure if they also take antibiotics such as erythromycin or clarithromycin. This drop in blood pressure could be serious enough to land seniors in the hospital. A third antibiotic, azithromycin, is in the same class as the other antibiotics but is not linked to the blood pressure drop. It should be selected over erythromycin and clarithromycin.

Popular calcium channel blockers include amlodipine, felodipine, nifedipine and diltiazem.

To learn more, click here.