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Most people in the United States have at least A prescription drug That we take regularly, but many of us do not stop there. In fact, the average number of prescribed pills taken Regularly by the Americans is four. Even if you do not have several prescriptions, however, it is likely that you will add over -the -counter drugs (OTC) to your diet from time to time. Whether you have obtained it from a pharmacist or have ordered it on Amazon, any medication can have serious consequences if it is not taken correctly - and that includes what you take. Now, doctors warn against a disturbing class of drugs that may have an impact on your heart in certain circumstances. Read the rest to find out what you shouldn't mix.

Read this then: It is the symptom of heart attack n ° 1 that people ignore, say doctors .

Heart attacks are far from rare. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), someone knows this event potentially deadly every 40 seconds In the United States, the agency claims that this is added to around 805,000 people with a heart attack each year.

It turns out that you can even have a heart attack without realizing it, because the CDC warns that around 1 cardiac crisis on 5 is silent. "Damage is caused, but the person is not aware of it," said the agency.

Of course, there are things that put you more at risk of having a heart attack, such as "health conditions, your lifestyle, your age and your family history", according to the CDC. We also know that specific drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can increase our risk of heart attack. But they are not the only drugs with which you need to be very careful.

There is another factor you need to consider when you think of your risk of heart attack: your drug list. According David Seitz , MD, a certified doctor And the medical director of ascending detoxification, you must be careful when you take medication that can increase potassium levels, such as ECA inhibitors and certain diuretics.

The combination of more than a drug that increases your potassium levels can leave you high levels of potassium in your blood. "Although potassium is an essential electrolyte, too can be dangerous," warns Seitz.

Cleveland Clinic experts note that too much potassium can increase your risk of having a heart attack. In fact, a 2016 study published in the American Journal of Medicine have found that hyperkalemia - which is the name given to the State to have high levels of potassium - is common in patients who end up hospitalizing because of a heart attack. And among these patients, those with the highest maximum potassium levels also have an increased risk of mortality.

"High potassium levels can cause irregular heartbeat," said Seitz. "When the heart is irregularly beats, it may not pump enough blood towards the rest of the body. This can lead to a heart attack."

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Healthy adults generally have potassium levels which are between 3.5 and 5.0 millimoles per liter (mmol / L). "Hyperkalemia is when potassium in your blood is greater than 5.0 mmol / L," Benjamin Gibson , Pharmd, a Functional medicine specialist And the founder of Awesome, we can do it better together, says Better life .

The kidneys naturally filter excess potassium from your body, but when you have too much of this mineral in your system, it becomes "more difficult for the kidneys to remove them from the blood", according to Gibson.

When potassium accumulates in your blood without being filtered, you can start to feel hyperkalemia symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, chest pain, heart palpitations, muscle weakness, nausea or vomiting. But some people have no symptoms at all.

"You cannot always say when your potassium levels are high," said Cleveland Clinic experts. "Many people suffering from light hyperkalemia have no sign or those that are easy to reject. Symptoms come and often come and can come on gradually during weeks or months." AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

As a result, your potassium levels can continue to accumulate and you may even have a heart attack before realizing that you have hyperkalemia. "High levels of potassium can also cause other serious problems such as kidney damage, paralysis or death," said Seitz.

According to Seitz, many different drugs can increase potassium levels, and some people are not aware that they will take more than one medication that can do so, according to Seitz. This is why you must always inform your doctor of all the drugs that you already take before prescribing something else.

"If you take medication that increases potassium levels, it is important to regularly check your potassium levels by a health care provider," advises Seitz. "Also make sure to talk to your doctor about the risk of hyperkalemia and how to prevent it."

And it is not only the combination of the drugs that are concerned with you. You will also want to discuss other parts of your lifestyle with your doctor if you take a medication that changes your potassium levels.

"It is important to avoid food and drinks rich in potassium. Some examples of food rich in potassium include bananas, oranges, tomatoes and potatoes," said Seitz. "In addition, some sports drinks and juice are also rich in potassium. It is important to speak to your doctor or pharmacist in the best way to avoid food and drinks rich in potassium."

Best Life offers the most recent information from high -level experts, new research and health agencies, but our content is not supposed to replace professional advice. Regarding the medication you take or any other health issue you have, always consult your health care provider directly.