Certain Blood Pressure Medications May Injure or Impair Athletes

Not that serious…yet

Seriously athletic folks, particularly those in sports with high aerobic demand, should avoid these BP drug classes:

• Diuretics (they predispose to dehydration)
• Beta blockers (they may decrease exercise tolerance via slowing of heart rate)

Better choices for athletes are:

• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
• long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers

These latter drugs are not likely to affect athletic performance or cause other complications. If you can’t figure out which class of drug you take, ask your physician, pharmacist, or Dr Google.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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