Does the Cough Medication Coricidin HBP Keep Your Heart From Racing?
Key takeaways:
Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu (acetaminophen / chlorpheniramine / dextromethorphan) is an over-the-counter cold and flu medication specifically formulated for people with high blood pressure.
Decongestants commonly found in cold medicine may elevate blood pressure and interfere with the effectiveness of prescription blood pressure medications.
Three people who take Coricidin HBP to alleviate cold symptoms share their experiences.
It’s cough and cold season, which means many people are running to their nearest pharmacy to stock up on over-the-counter (OTC) cold medicine to alleviate their runny noses, coughs, and congestion. But for those with high blood pressure, the nasal decongestants in common cold medicines may do more harm than good. These decongestants have the potential to elevate blood pressure and interfere with the effectiveness of prescription blood pressure medications.
That’s why the three people below turned to Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu (acetaminophen / chlorpheniramine / dextromethorphan), an OTC cold and flu medication specially formulated for people with high blood pressure. Here’s how they describe their experiences.
Trying something new
In January 2021, a 35-year-old Cara Creger got COVID-19, right before the vaccine was available.
At first, Cara’s symptoms were textbook: a sinus infection, shortness of breath, and fatigue. But, after 10 days of being sick, she began having other, more unusual symptoms.
“I remember, that February, I started waking up every single night without fail at 3AM,” the Marietta, Georgia, native says. “Around that time, I started experiencing my heart racing out of nowhere. For example, I would be lying in bed about to fall asleep and I would put my Apple Watch on to check it, and it would be about 120 bpm [beats per minute].”
Those symptoms, coupled with an ongoing sensitive cough, made Cara’s doctor suspect she had long COVID. So she referred Cara to a cardiologist to monitor her heart issues.
During the exam, the cardiologist explained that the Mucinex D (guaifenesin / pseudoephedrine) that Cara typically took for sinus infections could be harmful to people with heart issues. (Mucinex D contains a decongestant that can have negative effects on the heart when taken by people with high blood pressure or other heart problems.) So the cardiologist suggested that Cara try Coricidin HBP the next time she had a sinus infection.
A few months later, while on a beach vacation, Cara came down with a sinus infection and remembered her doctor’s advice.
“I had to go to a grocery store that was pretty small,” she says. “I was very surprised and relieved to find that they carried Coricidin HBP.”
While the pills were large, Cara says, they were easy to take and relieved her symptoms. She also doesn’t recall experiencing any negative side effects, something she’s typically pretty sensitive to.
It’s important to note that Coricidin HBP isn’t always the best choice for treating a sinus infection. In some cases, it can make symptoms worse, so it’s important to speak with your provider or pharmacist before taking it for this purpose.
Though Cara will likely return to taking Mucinex D for sinus infections — now that her heart-related symptoms have subsided — she would recommend Coricidin HBP to others with high blood pressure.
Coricidin HBP helps her sleep through the night
Allison Burns, who is 47 and lives in Atlanta, is no stranger to upper respiratory infections.
“I’m notorious for getting sinus infections,” Allison says. “And those sinus infections turn into asthmatic bronchitis because I had asthma as a kid.”
To complicate matters, Allison was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2006. So, in early 2007, Allison’s doctor recommended that she take Coricidin HBP for bronchitis, as opposed to her go-to medication, Sudafed (pseudoephedrine).
In addition to Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu, which comes as pills, the manufacturer also makes a nighttime syrup (acetaminophen / dextromethorphan / doxylamine), which contains an antihistamine that helps with sleep. “I [take] the pills during the day and then the syrup at night,” Allison says.
Though her husband teases her that the cherry-flavored concoction smells terrible, Allison doesn’t mind the taste. And it’s the only thing that keeps her coughing at bay during the night so she can rest.
“I like it because it’s not so intense that I can’t take it again in the middle of the night [if needed],” she says of the nighttime syrup. “Coricidin HBP helps me sleep better at night.”
While Allison doesn’t necessarily recommend the syrup for people who don’t have blood pressure issues, she says it’s a great option for those who do. “I have a bottle of it in my bathroom right now,” she says.
A cold and flu medication that doesn’t make her heart race
Laura Baxley from Charlotte, North Carolina, has long been a fan of Coricidin HBP.
Laura, who is 54, had never had high blood pressure but, in 1995, she noticed her go-to cold and flu medication was making her heart race. Prior to 2000, there was a Coricidin product on the market that included a decongestant and wasn’t safe to take if you had heart issues. Since then, the manufacturer has only made heart-friendly cold medicine.
“It took me several times of taking it before I figured out what it was,” Laura says of realizing it was the medication causing her heart to race.
Once she determined the connection, she stopped taking the now discontinued Coricidin product. Shortly thereafter, she saw an advertisement for Coricidin HBP that said the medication could provide symptom relief without raising blood pressure. She decided to try it and, sure enough, it worked like a charm, relieving her symptoms without causing her heart to race.
“I don’t have other heart problems, so I don’t know why I have this reaction,” Laura says of experiencing side effects with the discontinued medication.
Since discovering Coricidin HBP nearly 30 years ago, it’s been her go-to cold and flu medication. “I take the capsule form, and my cold is knocked out in a couple of days,” she says. “I think it [works] great for alleviating cold and flu symptoms.”
What does the pharmacist say?
Christina Aungst, PharmD
Pharmacy Editor
Coricidin HBP is a line of cold and flu medications that are designed for people with high blood pressure. These products don’t contain decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine, which can elevate heart rate and blood pressure. Decongestants can also make blood pressure medications less effective.
Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu is a very popular option within this line of products. It’s also the medication each of the people interviewed for this article took.
Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu comes as oral pills and contains the following active ingredients:
Acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer
Chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine that helps lessen sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes or nose
Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant
Coricidin HBP also offers a nighttime syrup that contains doxylamine, an antihistamine that helps with sleep, instead of chlorpheniramine. This is the same ingredient that’s included in many OTC sleep aids. And it can be helpful if your cold symptoms keep you up at night.
Coricidin HBP is a good option for symptoms like fever, body aches, and cough. It’s also effective for a runny nose and sneezing. But it’s not typically a first choice for treating most sinus infections.
Dextromethorphan doesn’t help with sinus congestion. And, in many cases, antihistamines can actually make sinus congestion worse. So speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking Coricidin HBP for sinus congestion. They’ll likely recommend an alternative treatment.
Most people tolerate Coricidin HBP well. For most, the common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth. But adults age 65 and older should be cautious about taking Coricidin HBP. Antihistamines like chlorpheniramine or doxylamine aren’t recommended for older adults, because these medications can raise the risk of falls. If you’re 65 or older, your provider or pharmacist can help you select a cold medicine that’s safe for you to take.
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