Can blood pressure pills cause cancer?
QI AM 74 and although I am generally very fit and active I take amlodipine and perindopril to lower my blood pressure. I keep hearing about my pills having side effects and I think that I read somewhere that one of them could cause stomach cancer.
Even though I have had no problems is it inevitable that sooner or later I will get them? I’ve also been prescribed a statin but have not taken it because I am so scared it may cause side effects. Please can you reassure me?
AALL prescribed medicines now come in packets that include a patient information leaflet containing pages of tiny print which usually list a huge number of possible side effects, some of which can sound very nasty indeed.
So it’s no wonder that many patients like you worry they may be taking tablets that are doing them more harm than good. This is especially the case for a condition such as high blood pressure which, unless it is incredibly high, does not cause any symptoms. However, high blood pressure is often called the silent killer because it does so much damage to your heart, arteries and other organs, including your kidneys. It causes tiny tears inside the walls of arteries, which turn into scar tissue, which creates rough areas that collect fatty deposits and platelets, narrowing and hardening the arteries.
The higher the pressure and the longer it continues, the greater the damage. This in turn can increase the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
People with uncontrolled high blood pressure are more at risk of developing vascular dementia or kidney failure or having a reduced blood supply to their legs, causing pain on walking.
Men with high blood pressure are also more at risk of having erectile dysfunction. Sometimes blood pressure pills do cause side effects, for example perindopril (and others in the same group of drugs) can cause a dry, tickly cough. And amlodipine can cause swollen ankles. If this is the case then it makes sense to change to a different treatment.
Rest assured, if a drug was found to increase the risk of cancer then doctors would not prescribe it unless it really was warranted for treating a severe, life-threatening condition.
QI AM a woman in my late 70s and since my teens I have been affected by a most unpleasant body odour. All these years I have tried all kinds of antiperspirants to no avail. I have perhaps two or three showers a day and wear clean clothes every day. Can you give me any advice?
AHAS anyone else confirmed that you have an unusual smell? Have you asked anyone, such as a close friend or family member, if they think you smell?
The reason I say this is because it is really unusual for anyone to smell for years on end and I’m wondering whether you might be imagining you smell when in fact you don’t.
Unless you have been doing hot and sweaty activity there is no need for anyone to shower three times a day – especially at your age as washing more than once a day will make your skin very dry.
I suggest you see your GP or practice nurse and ask them if they think you smell. Don’t wash beforehand. I suspect you’re likely to be told you don’t smell. If you still feel, even after you are told otherwise, that you smell then you
may benefit from seeing a counsellor who will help you to understand why you feel so negatively about yourself.
QMy husband, who is 81, was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy more than 12 months ago. He started having problems with his legs about 16 years ago and after visits to specialists, the only medication he has been put on for this is prednisolone daily. His legs are numb from the knee down and he has difficulty in walking any distance. Is there any alternative medication that would help? He has had physiotherapy but it does not seem to help.
ATHE peripheral nerves transmit messages from the brain and spinal cord to all the other parts of your body, including your legs, arms and internal organs. They can be divided into three main groups, those that transmit sensation (such as hot, cold, or pain), the motor nerves that make muscles move and the nerves that control body functions (such as sweating or bowel movements).
Peripheral neuropathy means that one or more of these nerves has been damaged. The symptoms depend on which nerves and how many are affected but can cause tingling and numbness and an inability to detect hot or cold, pain such as a burning sensation, or a loss of co-ordination. Muscle weakness can also occur.
There are numerous causes of peripheral neuropathy, including diabetes and lack of B vitamins, and it can occur in autoimmune conditions where your own immune system attacks body tissues. In some, the cause is unknown.
Although helping to control the underlying condition can be helpful, in many the aim of treatment is to control symptoms such as pain. Dealing with symptoms such as numbness can be difficult and I doubt whether alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, are likely to be of benefit.
Encourage your husband to use aids to stay mobile, such as a walking stick or a frame on wheels. It would be worthwhile seeing a specialist physiotherapist who can help supply aids and also home adaptations that will help to maintain independence. Ask your GP for a referral.
If you have a health question for Dr Rosemary please write to her in confidence at The Northern & Shell Building, 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN or email health@express.co.uk
Dr Rosemary’s reply will appear in this column. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence and that, due to the volume of letters, she cannot reply to everyone. Find out more about Dr Rosemary at drrosemaryleonard.co.uk