Blood Pressure Drug Harms: Allergies, Diabetes, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, Depression, Acute Kidney Injury, Lung Cancer, Abnormal Heart Rate, and More

Blood pressure-lowering drugs have not been shown to be effective; do not address the root cause(s) of hypertension; have been contaminated with cancer-causing agents; and cause harm ("side effects").

Contents

1. Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms

2. Blood Pressure Drugs

3. Essential Points

4. Root Causes of Hypertension are Identifiable

5. Evidence of Harm

6. For Wellness Providers & Educators: Boost Your Impact — Premium Resources Just a Click Away from $19

7. See Also

Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms

1. Pharmaceuticals generally + overprescription — In a controlled trial with disabled elderly adults, doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control. “More than half of the patients were candidates for deprescribing. The most common criterion was inappropriately long use, followed by safety concerns, and lack of indication.”

2. Acid blockers, PPIs, drugs for acid reflux, heartburn, GERD, gastric ulcer — PPIs increased cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and bone fractures, chronic kidney disease, neurodegeneration including Alzheimer’s and dementia, all-cause mortality (death), B-12 deficiency, pneumonia, and infections. PPIs altered children’s gut microbiome, the foundation of immunity and health, and increased infections in children. Stomach acid is crucial for health.

3. ADHD drugs, stimulants —Caused “long-lasting changes” in brain function “similar to those that occur with cocaine.” “There is no such thing as a Ritalin deficiency.” Harms from ADHD drugs are many, and effects from higher doses are severe. Get verifiable research and alternatives for resolving the underlying issues.

4. Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s drugs — Alzheimer’s & dementia drugs are less effective than B vitamins. And they cause fluid build-up & bleeding in the brain and increased death. Parkinson’s drugs deplete nutrients needed for brain health. Parkinson’s symptoms can be reversed. Successful therapies promote brain autophagy, “the removal of old and damaged brain cells and the creation of new and healthy brain cells.”

5. Antibiotics — “Like TNT for the body’s microbiome” and linked with kidney stones, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects. Since 70 to 80% of the immune system is in the gut, damage to gut health is damage to immune health. Review curated research + alternatives and considerations.

6. Asthma, allergy & hay fever drugs, antihistamines — Antihistamines cause heart problems, cognitive impairment, seizures in kids. Asthma “med” caused depression, anxiety, aggression, suicides. “Common medications like diphenhydramine [called benadryl, other brand names] cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupting normal brain activity and lowering seizure thresholds in vulnerable children.”

7. Blood pressure drugs (you’re here) — Allergies, Diabetes, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, Depression, Acute Kidney Injury, Lung Cancer, Abnormal Heart Rate, and More. Blood pressure-lowering drugs have not been shown to be effective; do not address the root cause(s) of hypertension; have been contaminated with cancer-causing agents; and cause harm (“side effects”).

8. Chemotherapy, other cancer drugs, radiation — “Chemotherapy makes cancer worse.” “Chemotherapy doubled the number of cancer cells in the bloodstream and lungs.” “Omitting radiation from treatment did not have an effect on survival rates.” “Radiation therapy increases the risk of solid tumors.” Chemotherapy drugs harm the healthcare professionals who administer them.

9. Diabetes drugs, metformin — Caused death, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, reduced blood flow to brain & organs. 90% + of diabetes is reversible with diet but professionals push drugs that harm. Professionals avoid telling the simple truth about the effectiveness of low carb diets and push profitable drugs that cause harm. In 2023, the FDA approved more drugs to treat diabetes in children.

10. Osteoporosis drugs, bisphosphonates — Caused “substantially reduced bone strength” and caused more microcracks in bone than the controls. Osteoporosis drugs caused blood calcium levels to drop, digestion problems, internal bleeding, irregular heartbeat, bone fractures, and bone death.

11. Over the counter drugs (OTCs) — Tylenol: ADHD, autism, ulcers, GI issues, kidney disease, heart failure. Laxative given to children: rage, tics, insomnia, seizures. Ibuprofen: DNA damage, hypertension. Sunscreens? Nightmare. Prescription drugs cause great harm, but so do over-the-counter meds and personal care products. Get an organized curation of research and reports.

12. Pain relievers, NSAIDs, opioids — Even at “safe doses,” opioids cause confusion, dependence, depression, increased pain sensitivity, diminished energy, and low sex drive. Consistent use of NSAIDs caused heart attacks. Doctors are not trained in pain management or addiction, but they prescribe dangerous, highly addictive drugs. Get an organized curation of research and reports, plus alternatives and considerations.

13. Psychiatric drugs: antidepressants, SSRIs, anti-anxiety, benzos, other psychotropics — Anti-depressants cause suicidal thinking, violence, and homicide. Anti-anxiety drugs cause insomnia and anxiety. Anti-psychotic drugs cause agitation, psychosis and violence. This organized curation of research and reports makes it clear that the evidence of harm from psychotropic drugs is overwhelming. We also provide alternatives and considerations.

14. Scans, radiology, & ultrasounds (e.g. mammograms, CT scans, X-rays) — Medical scans (CT scans, mammograms, etc) use ionizing radiation which damages DNA and causes cancer. Research and resource curation, including research showing that 1) mammograms do not reduce risk of death, and 2) a higher incidence of breast cancer was caused from mammography radiation.

15. Seizure drugs, anticonvulsants, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) — Devastating effects, negatively impacting virtually every system of the body, including damage to blood vessels and reduction in all three types of blood cells. Seizure drugs caused liver failure and death in young people and in healthy adults. A long list of non-harming alternatives listed below, with links to research on their effectiveness.

16. Sleeping pills, sedatives — Sleeping pills make you unconscious, not asleep. They impair the sleep cycle. They increase dementia, falls, and death. And they’re highly addictive. Sleeping pills deprive people of true sleep and they impede essential brain functions (which are causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases)

17. Statins — Statin drugs damage health at foundational levels — mitochondria, muscles and nerves — which can lead to more than 300 health problems. Research curation on statin harms, plus research showing that 1) lowering cholesterol does not improve heart health, and 2) statins do not lower all-cause death rates.

18. Steroids — Cause osteoporosis and double the risk of bone fractures. They increase heart failure, diabetes, psychiatric issues, glaucoma, and serious infections. Steroid users report rapid weight gain, intense hunger, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, acne, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and withdrawal reactions, among other adverse events.

19. Vaccines — Reports by vaccine type.

20. Weight loss drugs — Ozempic & Similar Weight Loss Drugs Cause Kidney Failure, Pancreatitis, Thyroid Cancer, Gallbladder Issues, Depression, Severe Stomach Problems, Bone & Muscle Loss, Blindness, and Death. “Ozempic, similar weight loss drugs linked to 162 deaths in U.S.” Get an organized curation of research and reports, with quick links to verify sources.

Blood Pressure Drugs

Drugs commonly prescribed to lower blood pressure include diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).

• Diuretics include Aldactone, Aquazide H, Bumex, CaroSpir, Demadex, Diamox, Diuril, Dyrenium, Edecrin, Inspra, Lasix, Microzide, Midamor, Thalitone, and Zaroxolyn. [source]

• Beta blockers include Betapace, Brevibloc, Bystolic, Coreg, Corgard, Hemangeol, Inderal, InnoPran, Lopressor, Nadolol, Propranolol, Sorine, Sotylize, Tenormin, and Toprol. [source and source and source]

• Calcium channel blockers include Afeditab, Calan, Cardene, Cardizem, Cartia, Cleviprex, Conjupri, Dilacor, Dilt, Diltia, Diltzac, Katerzia, Matzim, Norliqva, Norvasc, Nymalize, Procardia, Sular, Taztia, Tiadylt, Tiazac, and Verelan. [source]

• ACE inhibitors include Altace, Captopril, Enalaprilat, Epaned, Fosinopril, Lotensin, Moexipril, Prinivil, Qbrelis, Quinapril, Trandolapril, Vasotec, and Zestril. [source]

• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) include Atacand, Avapro, Azilsartan Medoxomil, Benicar, Candesartan, Cozaar, Diovan, Edarbi, Irbesartan, Losartan, Micardis, Olmesartan, Telmisartan, and Valsartan. [source]

Essential Points

1. Blood pressure-lowering drugs have poor outcomes. They have not been shown to be effective. [source and source and source]

2. Drugs do not address the root cause(s) of hypertension (high blood pressure).[source] Root causes are identifiable and can be resolved. [source and source]

3. Blood pressure drugs cause harm (“side effects”) including electrolyte imbalance (a serious issue), headaches, dehydration, constipation and other digestive issues, allergies, diabetes, mood swings, depression, edema, extreme tiredness and fatigue, dizziness, light-headedness, low blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, an excessively slow heart rate, weight gain, cold hands or feet, nausea, chronic dry cough, loss of taste, acute kidney injury, lung cancer, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, and abnormal heart rates. [source and source and source and source]

4. Blood pressure drugs have been contaminated with cancer-causing agents and mislabeled. [source] and source and source]

Treating Mild Hypertension with Drugs has Not Been Shown to be Effective

Treating mild hypertension with drugs has not been shown to be effective, yet it is common practice. Some of the risks of blood pressure-lowering medications include headaches, dizziness, depression, sleep problems, erectile dysfunction, and renal or cardiac dysfunction. Often, these side effects lead to additional prescription drugs like testosterone or Viagra. The good news is that dietary changes, lifestyle strategies, and supplements have the potential to reverse high blood pressure without the need for lifelong prescriptions. – Chris Kresser

Root Causes of Hypertension are Identifiable

While medical textbooks claim most cases of high blood pressure are idiopathic, meaning the underlying cause is unknown, this is simply not true.

– Dr. Joseph Mercola link

For a medical professional to claim that “we” don’t know what causes 90% of cases of high blood pressure is to display their willingness to spout pharmaceutical propaganda disguised as medical education, and a willful ignorance of reams of research and clinical experience showing a direct link between high blood pressure and diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors. Extensive research (covered here) shows that a number of lifestyle interventions address the conditions which lead the body to compensate for weak blood flow (by increasing blood pressure), thereby naturally reducing blood pressure and promoting heart health.

“If You Have Hypertension, There’s a Reason”

Your body never does anything “just because.” If you have hypertension, there’s a reason, and you’ll want to investigate the root cause before taking medication. Many times, high blood pressure is actually compensating for another imbalance. – Dr. Eric Berg, The End of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) link and 9-min video

Evidence of Harm

Diuretics Can Cause Electrolyte Imbalance, GI Issues Due to Dehydration, Low Blood Pressure, Diabetes

Many different types of diuretics exist with slightly different side effect profiles and different electrolytes they affect, but generally, these drugs cause a wide range of symptoms [including] electrolyte imbalances, particularly of sodium and potassium (e.g., low sodium levels are a common cause of weakness and hospital admissions, while low potassium affects 8.2% of users — occurring at a rate 973% greater than those not on the drugs). They cause many of the gastrointestinal side effects associated with dehydration (due to the drugs effectively dehydrating you). They (depending on the class) can sometimes create sulfa sensitivities or allergies. They cause many of the general effects associated with low blood pressure (e.g., lightheadedness). Some of them (ie. the thiazides) also increase uric acid levels, which may explain why these drugs increase the risk of diabetesor why they significantly increase one’s risk of gout. – Mercola.com

Common Effects of Beta-Blockers: Mood swings, depression, extreme tiredness and fatigue, dizziness or light-headedness, low blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, an excessively slow heart rate, weight gain, cold hands or feet, nausea, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath

Beta-blockers slow the heart and make it pump less forcefully. This is found to be very helpful for heart failure patients, but simultaneously has a variety of common side effects such as constricting the peripheral arteries… Patients frequently report a worsened quality of life from them.. Some of their most common side effects include mood swings, depression, extreme tiredness and fatigue, dizziness or light-headedness, low blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, an excessively slow heart rate, weight gain, cold hands or feet, nausea, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath. – A Midwestern Doctor

Beta Blockers Can Cause Depression