“Malaria/High BP”
I am being treated for malaria and high BP (155/87/). Is there a correlation between malaria and high BP? I have noticed my BP is usually high when I have malaria (although I don't check when I don't have malaria). Amlodipine 10mg once daily for 30 days was prescribed. Won't my body get used to the drug after the 30 days? Such that the BP would go up again after I stop the medication.
Male | 30 years old
1 Answer
Malaria may be associated with high and low blood pressure. There is a lot of literature on this subject on the web. However, if you have high blood pressure then you should take whatever medication is necessary to normalize it as well as to make sure you are adhering to a lifestyle, salt restriction, healthy diet, exercise, rest and relaxation, that is important in managing hypertension. Your body does not get “used to” amlodipine. (There is a class of drugs where this does happen. The phenomenon is called tachyphylaxis. Norvasc is not one of the drugs that does that.) You should certainly check your blood pressure when you don’t have malaria and see if you need amlodipine then as well. I suspect you will find that you do but you can only know by measuring your BP. Hypertension is “silent” until complications develop which may take years.
