
7 common medicines that may secretly harm your heart health, reveals heart surgeon
Here are some common medicines that may take a toll on your heart, leading to serious complications like high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, and even stroke:
Over-the-counter pain relievers like Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, and Nimesulide are widely used medicines for treating pain, fever, and inflammation. But what many people do not realize is that these drugs can quietly affect your heart health.
"Long-term or high-dose use of NSAIDs can lead to high blood pressure, fluid retention, and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, especially in those with existing heart issues," warns Dr Swarup Swaraj Pal, Senior Consultant Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon at Gleneagles Hospitals. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that taking NSAIDs, even for just a week, can significantly raise your risk of a heart attack.
To deal with seasonal cold and flu, decongestants like phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine are commonly used. However, they may do more than good. "Decongestants can constrict blood vessels, leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure," explains Dr Swarup. For individuals with hypertension or pre-existing cardiac conditions, this can be dangerous. The Annals of Emergency Medicine reports that these drugs can overstimulate the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of heart attack or other complications.
While antidepressants can help improve mental health, some types, especially tricyclic antidepressants like Amitriptyline or SSRIs like Fluoxetine, can potentially affect your heart rhythm.
"These drugs may increase heart rate and, in people with structural heart disease or arrhythmias, lead to palpitations or irregular heartbeats," says Dr Swarup. If you have any known heart issues, it is important to discuss potential side effects with your psychiatrist or cardiologist before starting or changing antidepressant medication.
Some medications used to manage type 2 diabetes, such as Pioglitazone, are known to cause fluid retention. In some cases, this can lead to heart failure. It is particularly risky in people who already have any heart health problems. If you are on anti-diabetic medication, make sure your doctor keeps a close watch on your heart health.
Antibiotics like Azithromycin and Clarithromycin are often prescribed for respiratory or bacterial infections. However, they can interfere with your heart's electrical activity. "These drugs can lead to arrhythmias, especially when taken alongside other heart-sensitive medicines," notes Dr Swarup. They are not dangerous for everyone, but in people with heart conditions or those taking multiple medications, the combination could be risky.
Corticosteroids, often referred to simply as steroids, are commonly prescribed for asthma, arthritis, and allergic conditions because of their anti-inflammatory properties. But they can come with serious cardiovascular side effects.
According to a study in the Canadian Respiratory Journal, oral corticosteroids were linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure and acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). Why? These drugs can cause the body to retain sodium and fluid, leading to increased pressure in blood vessels and added strain on the heart.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
8 medications that should not be mixed with alcohol
We all have heard that alcohol should not be mixed with antibiotics. However, do you know that apart from antibiotics, there are many other medicines that do not mix with alcohol, even if you take them hours apart? Alcohol alters the effectiveness of medications while making their adverse reactions more severe. Here are eight types of medications that must never be consumed with alcohol. 1. Painkillers (Opioids and NSAIDs) You should never combine opioids with NSAIDs when taking pain medication that includes codeine, oxycodone, morphine, ibuprofen and naproxen. When opioids combine with alcohol, the breathing rate of patients decreases to dangerous levels which may result in death. Consuming NSAIDs with alcohol heightens the risk of stomach bleeding, along with ulcers. 2. Antidepressants and Anti-Anxiety Medicines SSRIs and benzodiazepines together with antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications including Zoloft, Prozac, Valium and Xanax require alcohol-free use. Their deadly combination results in severe sleepiness and dizziness, together with confusion. This further aggravates depressive episodes, and the risk of overdose increases manifold. 3. Antibiotics Metronidazole (Flagyl) and tinidazole along with isoniazid, react negatively when combined with alcohol. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo The combination of these substances leads to nausea, vomiting, headaches, flushing as well as heart-related problems. Avoid drinking alcohol throughout your antibiotic treatment period, (make sure you do not have it at any time during the course), and even several days after finishing the medication. 4. Blood Thinners The effectiveness of warfarin blood thinners becomes less stable or their use becomes riskier, when patients consume alcohol. These medications become less safe when alcohol consumption occurs, because it elevates the danger of bleeding complications while forming blood clots. Before taking blood thinners, you should consult with your doctor regarding alcohol consumption. 5. Antipsychotic Medications The consumption of alcohol remains prohibited for patients who take antipsychotic drugs, used to treat schizophrenia alongside Quetiapine/Seroquel. The combination of alcohol with these medications leads to severe side effects including dizziness and drowsiness, as well as concentration issues and heart-related complications and seizure risks. 6. Diabetes Medications Taking insulin or diabetes pills with alcohol consumption will lead to harmful blood sugar reductions. The inability to detect blood sugar symptoms such as dizziness or confusion due to alcohol, makes it more likely for patients to experience severe complications. 7. Seizure Medications The combination of epilepsy and seizure medications including phenytoin, gabapentin and clonazepam should never occur with alcohol consumption. Using these substances together leads to excessive sleepiness and dizziness, and abnormal behavior and higher seizure risks. 8. ADHD Medications Adderall and Ritalin along with other stimulant medications used for ADHD, interact negatively when consumed with alcohol. The combination of these substances produces heightened side effects which include dizziness and drowsiness together with heart complications and decreased concentration abilities. Why Mixing Alcohol and Medication is Risky Medicines undergo altered absorption or breakdown processes in the body due to alcohol consumption, which leads to reduced effectiveness or increased toxicity. The consumption of alcohol enhances medication side effects including drowsiness and dizziness while simultaneously inflicting severe damage to liver function and stomach health and heart systems and nervous system tissue. Certain dangerous drug interactions can even be fatal. Sources PubMed The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) WebMD Healthdirect Australia


Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Can spicy food cause stomach ulcers? Gastroenterologist debunks 5 myths about peptic ulcers
Stomach ulcers, or peptic ulcers, are often blamed on spicy foods or high stress levels — but how accurate are these common beliefs? In an interview with HT Lifestyle, T.K, senior consultant, gastroenterology and hepatology, Fortis Hospital, Okhla said, 'Knowing the true causes of stomach ulcers dispels dangerous myths that can delay effective treatment. Although stress management and avoiding irritants such as alcohol and tobacco is still good for digestion, it is also important to know that ulcers are frequently medical illnesses requiring proper diagnosis and treatment.' Also read | Experiencing a burning pain in your stomach? Doctor says it can be ulcers; here's why they happen Stomach ulcers require proper diagnosis and treatment(Shutterstock) T.K further busted several myths associated with stomach ulcers: Myth 1: Stress causes ulcers Fact: One of the biggest myths is that stress causes ulcers. While stress, either emotional or physical, can worsen an ulcer, it is not typically the underlying cause. Studies indicate that most ulcers are caused by a bacterial infection or by certain medications. Myth 2: Spicy foods are to blame Fact: Spicy foods can bother an ulcer but do not create them. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, has even been researched for possible benefits to the stomach lining. The actual cause usually has nothing to do with that. Spicy foods do not create ulcers.(Pexels) Myth 3: Ulcers are a lifelong condition Fact: Most of us believe that if you develop an ulcer, you're stuck with it forever. Not the case. Most ulcers, particularly those brought on by H. pylori or the use of NSAIDs, can be successfully treated and even eradicated with proper medical attention. Once the problem is treated and the stomach lining has had time to heal, patients can fully recover. Also read | Ulcer: Doctors reveal causes, symptoms you should never ignore, treatment Myth 4: Only adults get ulcers Fact: A further prevalent myth is that ulcers are only found in adults, especially with high-stress careers or poor diets. In fact, H. pylori infections are generally contracted during childhood, and children can also develop ulcers. Adult symptoms might be more frequently documented, but ulcers can indeed appear at any age and cannot be ignored in younger patients who have ongoing abdominal pain. Myth 5: Ulcers always have obvious symptoms Fact: The vast majority of the public think that ulcers will always present themselves with obvious symptoms such as stabbing abdominal pain, but this is not necessarily so. Some ulcers, particularly at first, are silent and will have few or no symptoms at all. Others may cause vague discomfort, bloating, or nausea that can be mistaken for indigestion. Sometimes ulcers are not diagnosed until something goes wrong, e.g., bleeding. Also read | 4 reasons behind consistent stomach pain and burning sensation Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.


New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Toxic farmlands, pesticide use pushing grassland birds to the brink: NCBS study
BENGALURU: Increasing and unregulated use of chemicals like insecticides and pesticides – especially neonicotinoids – and change in agricultural patterns have drastically affected grassland bird species across India. This is compromising soil nutrient cycle, pollination, seed dispersal and eco-system engineering in which the threatened bird species play a key role. This is bound to have an adverse impact on public health ultimately, says a study by Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). The NCBS researchers point out that avian species are not just aesthetically important, but are valuable tools in the large food-chain and agricultural pattern. They feed on insects, bees and other pests. They noted that while many western countries have banned the use of pesticides and fertilizers, unregulated usage continues in India, affecting local and migratory bird species. Similar is the case with the continued use of banned drugs like the Diclofenac and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - painkillers given to cattle and consumed by humans. This has forced a drastic decline in populations of all six Indian vulture species. Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides chemically similar to nicotine, and are being rampantly used in agriculture and veterinary medicine. They are absorbed by plants and transported throughout their tissues, including pollen and nectar. Birds like tawny eagle, Indian bustard at risk from toxic farmlands Neonicotinoids have raised concerns due to their potential harm to beneficial insects like bees and other pollinators, and bird species dependent on them. The NCBS study points to rampant and unregulated use of neonicotinoids, depriving grassland and raptor bird species like the Tawny Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Saras Crane, Great Indian Bustard, Indian Roller, Bengal Florican and Common Pochard, of their prey. This has forced a decline in populations of these bird species.