Can Blood Pressure Medications Cause Weight Gain?

Why do blood pressure medications cause weight gain?

Blood pressure medications have side effects that may lead to weight gain in some people:

• Increased appetite: An increased appetite is a common side effect of many medications. You may feel hungrier while taking blood pressure medication, leading you to eat more and gain weight.
• Slow metabolism: Blood pressure medications may slow your body’s metabolism, causing you to burn fewer calories.
• Water retention: Depending on the type of blood pressure medication you take, you may retain more water while taking it, contributing to an increase in weight.

If you gain weight while taking an antihypertensive, it’s not permanent. You can still lose the weight that you may put on.

Do all blood pressure medications cause weight gain?

Not all blood pressure medications may lead to weight gain. A 2018 Canadian research review found that some antihypertensives are neutral to weight gain, while others may cause weight loss.

• Neutral to weight gain:
  • prazosin
  • irbesartan
  • olmesartan
  • acebutolol
  • amlodipine
  • aliskiren
• Associated with weight loss:
  • enalapril
  • lisinopril
  • ramipril
  • losartan
  • telmisartan
  • timolol
  • chlorthalidone
  • furosemide
  • hydrochlorothiazide
  • indapamide
  • perindopril (also noted to cause weight gain)

Just because these medications are associated with weight loss or are weight neutral doesn’t mean that they’ll necessarily have the same effect on you. Everyone will respond to antihypertensives differently.

Which blood pressure medications may cause weight gain?

Blood pressure medications are generally successful in lowering blood pressure. But they may cause some individuals to experience a modest amount of weight gain.

Certain antihypertensives may more commonly lead to a weight increase than others. The amount you may observe, however, is typically small — less than 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) on average for some antihypertensives.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blocking medications work by blocking the effects of epinephrine (adrenaline) to help lower blood pressure. Blocking this hormone may lead to a slight increase in weight for some people.

Some beta-blockers are more likely to cause weight gain, according to the 2018 research review mentioned above, including:

• atenolol
• metoprolol
• propranolol

Other medications

Also associated with weight gain are the antihypertensive medications:

• clonidine
• perindopril
• valsartan
• diltiazem

Remember, weight gain from blood pressure medications is typically temporary and won’t happen to everyone.

How to minimize or prevent weight gain from blood pressure medications

Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned about weight gain from blood pressure medications, including beta-blockers. A doctor can help create a treatment plan that works for you and addresses your concerns.

It may also help to speak with a registered dietitian. They may suggest a diet that works with your treatment plan and other health conditions you may be managing.

Other lifestyle changes you could try (or keep up, if you currently have them) to help prevent or minimize weight gain are:

• monitoring your weight and expressing any concerns over changes with your doctor
• focusing on eating a balanced diet with fruit, vegetables, and other whole foods
• exercising regularly, at least 150 minutes weekly, or as you’re able
• sleeping for 7 to 9 hours every night
• avoiding smoking if you smoke, or speaking with your doctor about a smoking cessation program
• avoiding alcohol if you drink
• managing stress in your life

Speak with your prescribing physician before you stop taking your medications. They may have you switch medications if you’re not seeing improvements.

Looking for a healthcare professional? Try our FindCare tool.

Takeaway

Whether you’ll gain weight while on blood pressure medication varies from person to person. If you do gain weight, it’s usually minimal. But not all medications cause weight gain — some are neutral to it or may even cause weight loss.

Beta-blockers, including atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol, are associated with weight gain. Other antihypertensives also associated with weight gain are clonidine, perindopril, valsartan, and diltiazem.

Talk with your doctor about your weight concerns before starting or stopping antihypertensives. They can recommend a (different) medication that works best for you.