Can Blood Pressure Medicine Cause Celiac Disease?

The Connection Between Blood Pressure and Celiac Disease

Can blood pressure medicine cause celiac disease? That is the question that researchers at Mayo Clinic have been asking and exploring…And the simple answer answer is yes. In this Gluten Free Society Update, I break down the research linking blood pressure medications to inflammation of the GI tract that mimics celiac disease. You will want to watch this video if your doctor has prescribed an Angiotensin II receptor blocker like telmisartan or olmesartan to you for the treatment of high blood pressure. Especially if you have started to develop diarrhea, weight loss, muscle loss, or dehydration.

Gut Damage & Medication

This research is one of many examples of drug-induced gastrointestinal damage. It is important to know for several reasons:

1. Many people are being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. The fact that medicines can create damage that mimic the villous atrophy caused by gluten means that it is very possible to get an incorrect diagnosis.
2. Many people with celiac disease have high blood pressure. If these individuals are placed on an angiotensin II receptor blocker for the treatment of their high blood pressure, it is a very real possibility that their gut damage will never heal, and that they will continue to have persistent symptoms of celiac disease despite diet change.
3. If doctors are not fully aware of this research, they could very well be inducing gut damage when treating blood pressure, and never make the connection when patients start experiencing pain, weight loss, and diarrhea.
4. People with gluten issues who don’t respond to the gluten free diet change are often times diagnosed with refractory celiac disease. The standard treatment for refractory celiac is prescription steroids or immune suppressing medications. These medications can have severe side effects that contribute to further health deterioration. Steroids can cause bone and muscle loss. Immune suppressors have been linked to lymphoma.

Are You Taking Medicines For High Blood Pressure?

If you are taking this type of medication for blood pressure, you should have a conversation with your doctor about this research. Especially if you are experiencing GI pain, weight loss, or diarrhea. Want to know more about which medications can cause damage to the GI tract? Check out this comprehensive break down on the topic right here. Make sure you share this information with those you care about who have high blood pressure…And make sure to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Always looking out for you, Dr. Osborne – The Gluten Free Warrior