Elderly Man's Blood Pressure Surges, Causing Dizziness and Headache After Taking Blood Pressure Medication with Milk
Core Tip: Milk is rich in "tyramine," and blood pressure medication can cause it to accumulate in large amounts, leading to a sudden spike in blood pressure, arrhythmia, and in severe cases, persistent high blood pressure, a hypertensive crisis, and even coma.
A Glass of Leftover Milk Almost Led to a Fatal Encounter
A 60-year-old man was rushed to the emergency department of a hospital and was only out of danger after emergency treatment. He never imagined that milk combined with his blood pressure medication would land him in a life-threatening situation.
The elderly man lives in Hankou. Yesterday morning, seeing his grandson had barely drunk any of a bottle of milk, he felt it was a waste and took his blood pressure medication with the leftover milk. Less than an hour later, Grandpa Li began to feel dizzy and had a headache. He quickly checked his blood pressure, and his systolic pressure had soared to 188 mmHg!
His family noticed something was wrong and rushed him to the hospital, narrowly escaping a disaster.
Experts say that milk is rich in "tyramine," and blood pressure medication can cause it to accumulate in large amounts, leading to a sudden spike in blood pressure, arrhythmia, and in severe cases, persistent high blood pressure, a hypertensive crisis, and even coma.
In addition to high blood pressure, patients with heart failure should also avoid drinking large amounts of milk when taking cardiac glycosides such as digoxin, as the calcium in milk can enhance the toxicity of these drugs, leading to poisoning, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.
Furthermore, juice, tea, and mineral water should not be used to take medication casually. For instance, drugs for treating high blood pressure and preventing heart disease can easily react when taken with juice; taken with tea, they can become ineffective or cause drug poisoning. Aspirin should also not be taken with tea, as it will react with tannins. The minerals and metal ions in mineral water can also affect some medications. Additionally, soy sauce is also rich in tyramine, so it should be eaten in moderation while taking blood pressure medication.
For patients with coronary heart disease and high blood pressure, taking medication with warm water below 50°C is the safest option.