High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common condition that can lead to heart disease and stroke. Mild hypertension can be treated with diet and exercise while moderate and high blood pressures may require one or more drugs to lower blood pressure.
CBD has been shown to lower blood pressure, but it’s not clear if this happens because of the mood elevating effect or some other property. Studies indicate that CBD reduces stress and leads people who use them feel lighter overall which could be responsible for their reduced heart rates.
The first hard evidence of the usefulness of CBD for blood pressure was most recently published in 2017. This small study found this cannabinoid to maintain low pressures even when participants were exposed to stressful stimuli, leading researchers from various institutions to declare that "CBD does seem like a promising alternative or supplement."
There is a possibility that CBD's activity in your brain might reduce stress by improving mood, which could also be linked to reduced hypertension.
The most commonly reported side effects of CBD oil for blood pressure includes sleepiness, nausea, and dry mouth but many users do not experience any negative reactions at all.
Since CBD can lower your blood pressure there is the risk that when taken with other blood pressure medications that together they might “double-up” and you might inadvertently lower your blood pressure below healthy levels. When combining CBD and blood pressure medications be cautious of any feelings of tiredness, dizziness or lightheadedness.
Certain heart and blood pressure medications are broken down by the same liver enzymes that process oil-soluble CBD. Oil-soluble CBD can inhibit some of these CYP450 enzymes which may cause a slowdown in the breakdown of certain drugs which could potentially increase side effects. On the other hand, oil-soluble CBD products can speed up the breakdown of other drugs which can potentially reduce their effectiveness without an increase in dosage.
Many prescription drugs will include grapefruit warnings on the label, advising against consuming the citrus fruit while taking medication. Grapefruit disrupts the activity of CYPs and slows the way these proteins usually break down medication. The fruit also increases the side effects and duration the drug stays in the system. One 2013 study titled “Grapefruit Medication Interactions: Forbidden Fruit or Avoidable Consequences?” published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed that grapefruit can increase blood content levels when interacting with at least 85 different drugs. The reported consequences were severe, including irregular heartbeat, organ failure, internal bleeding, and death.
Gummies and Tinctures sold by Consumers Hemp MD contain water-soluble hemp and CBD. These products are metabolized in the stomach instead of the liver, minimizing the interactions between CBD and other drugs that require CYP450 enzymes. The stomach metabolized hemp products are 96% bioavailable while the bioavailability of hemp products metabolized through the liver are between 35-75%, based on each person’s liver.
CBD Interactions with Common Heart and Blood Pressure Medications
CBD and Amlodipine
Amlodipine is the generic form of the drug called Norvasc. These drugs are both calcium channel blockers. It is prescribed to prevent chest pain and treat high blood pressure. Side effects it can cause include headaches, dizziness, chest pain, and swollen extremities. Amlodipine is metabolized by CYP3A4. Taking CBD in conjunction with Amlodipine may decrease the drug’s effectiveness, prolong its side effects, and possibly lead to medication toxicity due to the drug’s prolonged presence in the bloodstream.
CBD and Eliquis
Eliquis is the brand name of the medication apixaban. It is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent blood clots that could cause a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism. Taking CBD and Eliquis together may increase the blood levels of Eliquis, but we do not know this for sure. Increased Eliquis levels can cause uncontrolled bleeding including bleeding in the brain, spine, eye, joints, abdomen or inside the pericardium — the sac that surrounds the heart. Unlike other anticoagulants, there is no easy way to reverse high levels of Eliquis.
CBD and Hydrochlorothiazide
One of the most common diuretics on the market is Hydrochlorothiazide. It is prescribed to patients suffering from high blood pressure. It is known to produce side effects like electrolyte imbalance, rash, fatigue, light sensitivity, and low blood pressure.
Hydrochlorothiazide is not metabolized by CYP3A4, nor is it known to inhibit or stimulate the production of the enzyme. This means it is not likely to produce an adverse reaction with CBD although the antihypertensive function of Hydrochlorothiazide may be decreased when combined with CBD oil.
CBD and Lisinopril
When people are close to kidney failure, and are suffering from high blood pressure, they are usually prescribed Linisopril. Sometimes it can be prescribed for people suffering from diabetes and congestive heart failure. Lisinopril is classified as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. While its function is to inhibit the production of enzymes, it is not known to inhibit CYP3A4, meaning it is unlikely to inhibit the function of CBD
CBD can temporarily lower blood pressure, so taking it alongside medications like Lisinopril might reduce it even more, making you feel lethargic and weak.
CBD and Metoprolol
Metoprolol is a beta-blocker designed to treat high blood pressure by reducing the heart rate and changing the release of epinephrine, a hormone involved in stress and other processes. Beta-blockers lower blood pressure and sometimes produce side effects such as dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, heartburn, and cold hands and feet.
CBD can temporarily lower blood pressure, so taking it alongside medications like Metoprolol might reduce it even more, making you feel lethargic and weak. On the other hand, the nausea reducing properties of CBD can help soothe the nausea side effects that are often associated with Metoprolol.
CBD and Plavix
The brand name Plavix is a clopidogrel medicine that is often recommended for people who have had or may have had a cardiac disease. The medicine acts by inhibiting the formation of blood platelets in the arteries close to the heart.
Cannabidiol may slow down how quickly your liver processes Plavix to its active form reducing its effects.
CBD and Valsartan
Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It works by blocking a substance in the body that causes blood vessels to tighten. Valsartan relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. CBD may boost the effects of Valsartan which may reduce your blood pressure to dip too low.
CBD and Warfarin
Warfarin (Coumadin) is an anticoagulant. It’s used to prevent clot formation in conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, to prevent stroke, and as an adjunct treatment for angina and myocardial infarction. CBD may slow the breakdown and elimination of warfarin leading to an excessive accumulation of warfarin in the body.
Serious side effects such as bleeding, bruising and severe headaches may result. If you take both warfarin and CBD it is important to carefully monitor your warfarin levels through regular INR testing.
What Type of CBD Is Best for Blood Pressure?
If you're trying to manage your high blood pressure with CBD, then the best types of products are oils and gummies. They have been proven in clinical trials as being more effective than other forms like soft gels or topicals.
CBD Oil
CBD oils are also referred to as CBD tinctures. These are the more popular types of CBD products you'll find online. Their popularity is mostly a testament to the ease of use and discreet ability to get your CBD Oil for blood pressure in liquid form.
CBD users often take oil tinctures whenever they experience pain or other ailments in life. Besides offering a higher potency and quick absorption time, these CBD oils are better for managing blood pressure than other types of orally consumed CBD options.
CBD Gummies
The benefits of CBD oil are diverse, but one thing that you might not have known about them is how they can be consumed. Tinctures typically come in bottles and need to be taken sublingually while gummies offer the convenience factor because it means no more carrying around vials with yourself everywhere!
When using CBD to manage blood pressure, it’s important that you avoid eating excessive sweets. This could make your condition worse so only choose gummies with natural ingredients and minimal sweeteners for the best results.
CBD Softgels
Another venetian option to take CBD oil for blood pressure is CBD soft gels. These are just as easy to take orally and can provide you with an easy way to swallow and forget about your CBD oil treatment.
While soft gels may be the simpler option to get your intake of CBD oil, they're much like CBD gummies in that they're less potent than CBD tinctures. However, soft gels may be better than CBD gummies as they don't have the sugar content found in the gummies. Thus making CBD soft gels are a doable option for blood pressure patients.