— Carolyn, FloridaYou don’t say how much iron you are taking, but, I’ll presume that you take the Feosol iron product that’s available as a caplet. In general, it is okay to take Feosol caplets (or other oral iron supplements) with the high blood pressure medications you mention. There is no drug interaction that I am aware of that would have a negative impact on the effectiveness of either the blood pressure medications or the Feosol caplets. However, to minimize the gastrointestinal side effects that can occur with Feosol caplets, you may want to consider separating your daily Feosol dose(s) from the blood pressure medication by an hour or two. In addition, all iron replacement medication is best taken on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after meals, with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. (If iron upsets your stomach, however, take it with food or immediately after meals, with a full glass of water.) Q2. Aspirin is recommended as a possible prevention factor to heart disease. I am allergic to aspirin - and all drugs that process via the same metabolic path - so do you have a suggestion for an alternative? Or is there an alternative? Routine use of aspirin in healthy women less than 65 years is not recommended to prevent heart attack and should only be considered to prevent ischemic (blockage of blood to the brain) stroke when the benefit is likely to outweigh the adverse effects of therapy. Among healthy women more than 65 years, low-dose aspirin therapy (81mg daily or 100mg every other day) should be considered if blood pressure is controlled and the benefits for ischemic stroke and heart attack prevention is likely to outweigh the risk of taking aspirin, which include gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic (bleeding into the brain) stroke. Aspirin therapy (75-325mg/day) is recommended for women who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease due to established coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, end stage or chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus, or a ten-year Framingham risk more than 20 percent. If a high-risk woman has liver or kidney disease, stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems, bleeding problems, or aspirin allergies, clopidogrel (e.g. Plavix) should be used instead of aspirin. It is important to speak with your physician before beginning to take aspirin so he/she can assess your risk level and discuss the potential risks, benefits, and side effects. Q3. I often hear a pumping noise in my right ear. My blood pressure has escalated up to 180 though it used to be around 140. Could the two things be related? Your symptoms may be tinnitus — a thumping, ringing, or beating noise in the ear which is not uncommon. Tinnitus may be the result of age-related hearing loss or an ear injury or it may be an indication of a disease of your circulatory system. Hypertension and factors that increase blood pressure, such as stress, alcohol and caffeine, can make the sound more noticeable. An ideal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg, but if your blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mm Hg you may need treatment to bring it down. It is important for you to see your physician so he/she can evaluate your symptoms and offer suggestions on lowering your blood pressure. Learn more in the Everyday Health Hypertension Center.
