Does Singulair raise blood pressure?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Does Singulair raise blood pressure?
Singulair (Montelukast) may or may not increase blood pressure. There is some evidence to support the claim that Singulair may cause blood pressure to increase in some cases.
However, the results of the current research have been conflicting, and it is unclear exactly how this potential adverse effect would operate. The effect of Singulair on blood pressure may also depend on variables like dosage, duration of usage, and personal health status.
It’s crucial for people using Singulair to periodically check their blood pressure and to talk to their doctor about any worries or potential side effects.
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on the effects of Singulair on your blood pressure. However, some research studies did find a link between the drug and high BP, but the overall results are a bit controversial.
According to a research review in the Journal of Asthma, using Singulair caused blood pressure in people with hypertension, but not in healthy individuals (1).
Another study that was printed in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice indicated that people on Singulair did not significantly experience a rise in blood pressure (2).
This indicates that Singulair may cause high BP in some people, but it is not listed as a common side effect of this medication.
Factors affecting Singulair’s effects on blood pressure
Some factors may influence blood pressure caused by Singulair. These include:
- Age – the elderly population is generally more sensitive to side effects.
- Obesity or being overweight
- Pre-existing hypertension
- Any other underlying medical condition
- Poor diet, especially too much intake of salt
- Sedentary lifestyle or lack of physical activity
- Smoking
- Use of stimulants or other medications that can increase blood pressure. Singulair itself is not a stimulant and it can not get you high.
What to do if you think Singulair is affecting your blood pressure?
If you think Singulair is causing your blood pressure to increase, reach out to your healthcare provider. Your doctor will determine whether or not it’s the drug causing such changes in your body and will rule out other possible causes.
Just make sure you don’t start taking any medication without talking to your doctor first. It is best to monitor your blood pressure for a week before visiting your doctor to make sure that your BP is continuously increased.
This will help your doctor the best possible treatment strategy. If your BP fluctuates throughout the week, your doctor may not prescribe a typical antihypertensive. However, consistent high BP requires proper treatment. So, always keep an eye out for any unusual side effects.
It is also important to remember that the safe and effective use of medications is the key to achieving your desired therapeutic outcome. So, make sure you stick to the recommended dose and do not take Singulair more often.
It is also important to check for the expiry date before you take this medication, as expired meds may not be potent enough to help you with your symptoms and can lead to therapeutic failure.
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References
1.-
Choo, X. W., Ong, S. J., Loh, W. S., Goh, S. Y., & Tavintharan, S. (2016). Blood pressure changes in patients with asthma on montelukast therapy: a real-life study. Journal of Asthma, 53(7), 718-723.
2.-
Han, M. K., Kim, M. G., Kim, H., Lee, J. M., Cho, S. H., Lee, H. J., & Kim, Y. K. (2019). The effect of montelukast on blood pressure in asthmatic patients. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 7(5), 1688-1694.
