How Blood Pressure Medicine Causes Motion Sickness

Introduction

Motion sickness is a common disorder that occurs when the equilibrium of your stability is compromised, resulting in the feeling of dizziness or nausea. This feeling is common in cars, on boats, in airplanes, and pretty much any other form of transportation that involves varying amounts of movement. Motion sickness can make it hard for many people to travel long distances, and for some, even short distances can be a problem. Motion sickness can be caused for a variety of reasons, such as inner ear, vision and sensory issues. However, it is the brain that controls all of these functions, and blood pressure medicine can sometimes interfere with the way the brain is able to process the sensory information, leading to motion sickness.

Brain

The brain is the central processing area for all of the senses, including the balance of equilibrium and sight. To continue working properly, the brain needs a constant blood flow to its tissues and cells. If this blood flow gets cut off, or reduced below what it needs to operate, the results can contribute to motion sickness.

Medication

Those with high blood pressure often end up being prescribed medications to control the pressure in the circulatory system, such as diuretics, beta blockers or ACE inhibitors. When working properly, these medications can help the body control and lower blood pressure to a healthy rate. However, if the medication lowers the blood pressure too much it can result in not getting enough blood to the extremities of the body, including the brain.

Hypotension

Certain blood pressure medication may cause hypotension (blood pressure that is too low) instead of correcting the blood pressure levels to a healthy level. This can significantly contribute to feelings of motion sickness and the dizziness that can often accompany it. This can be corrected by asking your doctor about removing yourself from the high blood pressure medicine. If your blood pressure levels begin to rise too much again, ask your doctor about other blood pressure medication options that will better regulate your blood pressure, without bringing it to hypotension levels.

References

• Vertigo Information
• American Heart Association