Taking antihypertensive drugs for a long time will lead to potassium deficiency, because antihypertensive drugs that promote sodium excretion often increase potassium excretion, leading to potassium deficiency in the body. While limiting salt (sodium) in diet, we should eat more foods containing potassium, such as whole grains, beans, meat, vegetables and fruits, which all contain a certain amount of potassium.

Whether taking antihypertensive drugs will lead to potassium deficiency is related to the type of antihypertensive drugs. Most antihypertensive drugs will not cause potassium deficiency, but if you take diuretics, it will cause potassium loss. For example, taking hydrochlorothiazide and indapamide. These diuretics also have the effect of discharging potassium while lowering blood pressure, so it is necessary to give potassium supplement treatment at the same time, or take them in combination with potassium-preserving diuretics.

Although most animal foods contain more potassium than vegetables and fruits, they contain more sodium and cholesterol, while vegetables and fruits contain little sodium. So eat more fruits and vegetables to supplement potassium. Foods with high potassium content include spinach, radish, cabbage, celery stalks, pumpkins, fresh peas and lemons. , these are optional.

There are five drugs to treat hypertension, three of which may affect blood potassium metabolism. Diuretics, namely thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide or furosemide, are often used to cause potassium deficiency in patients. These drugs can promote urine excretion and may take away some potassium. If the patient does not supplement potassium in time or has a poor diet, it will lead to hypokalemia. Some patients may have severe hypokalemia and are at risk of malignant arrhythmia.