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InsightHorizon Digest

Does contrave make your blood pressure go up

Author

William Taylor

Updated on April 20, 2026

Contrave (naltrexone / bupropion) can raise your heart rate and blood pressure, even if you don’t have a history of high blood pressure. This risk is greatest during the first 3 months after you start taking Contrave (naltrexone / bupropion).

Can I take Contrave if I have high blood pressure?

Do not take CONTRAVE if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure; have or have had seizures; use other medicines that contain bupropion such as WELLBUTRIN, WELLBUTRIN SR, WELLBUTRIN XL, APLENZIN and ZYBAN; have or have had an eating disorder called anorexia or bulimia; are dependent on opioid pain medicines or use …

Do diet pills increase blood pressure?

Common Side Effects of Weight Loss Drugs. Increased blood pressure and heart rate, insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, dependence, abuse or withdrawal may occur with long-term use.

Can naltrexone raise blood pressure?

This medicine may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take naltrexone and bupropion. This medicine may cause high blood pressure. Check blood pressure and heart rate as the doctor has told you.

Does Contrave affect your heart?

Both of these medications have previously been found to have side effects that involve the heart and cardiovascular system. In particular, the effects of Contrave on heart rate and blood pressure appear to be unfavorable. In clinical trials, Contrave was found to increase both blood pressure and heart rate.

What happens if you take Contrave with a high fat meal?

But you should avoid taking Contrave with a high fat meal. Too much fat can expose your body to more of the active ingredients in Contrave, bupropion and naltrexone. If your body is exposed to too much bupropion, you may have an increased risk of seizures.

What should you not take with Contrave?

Do not take other weight-loss products or diet pills unless your doctor has told you to. Do not use opioid medication, methadone, heroin, or other street drugs while you are taking Contrave. Doing so could result in dangerous effects, including coma and death.

Is naltrexone bad for your heart?

Naltrexone induced physical and emotional stress in a patient on MMT may cause acute coronary syndrome in a patient with underlying ischemic heart disease. Naltrexone should never be prescribed to an opioid addict; If happens, severe withdrawal syndrome will occur (8, 9).

What are the side effects to Wellbutrin?

  • Abdominal pain.
  • Anxiety.
  • Appetite loss.
  • Changes in the way food tastes.
  • Constipation.
  • Dizziness.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Dry mouth.
Does bupropion lower blood sugar?

Bupropion inversely significantly stimulated the insulin secretion in presence of 16.7 mmol/l glucose. It is concluded that the changes of blood glucose and plasma insulin observed in vivo may at least in part be due to respective changes of insulin secretion.

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Will losing 30 pounds lower blood pressure?

According to the national guidelines and recent research, losing weight can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure — and potentially eliminate high blood pressure. For every 20 pounds you lose, you can drop systolic pressure 5-20 points.

How can a person with high blood pressure lose weight?

Exercise. Another important ingredient to losing weight is increasing physical activity. Cutting down on calories and getting regular physical activity can help you lose more weight and keep it off longer than only eating less or only exercising. Exercise can also lower blood pressure.

What causes high blood pressure and weight loss?

Causes of High Blood Pressure Smoking. Being overweight or obese. Lack of physical activity. High-sodium diet.

Can you take Saxenda if you have high blood pressure?

Saxenda® is not indicated for the treatment of high blood pressure or high cholesterol. It is not known if Saxenda® changes your risk of heart problems or stroke or of death due to heart problems or stroke.

Has anyone died taking Contrave?

In the off-treatment group, there were 12 cardiovascular deaths in the placebo group and 1 in the Contrave group. This isn’t surprising.

Can I stop contrave suddenly?

Do not change your CONTRAVE dose without talking with your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will change your dose if needed. Your healthcare provider should tell you to stop taking CONTRAVE if you have not lost a certain amount of weight after 16 weeks of treatment.

Should I take contrave before or after breakfast?

CONTRAVE should be taken by mouth in the morning and in the evening. The tablets should not be cut, chewed, or crushed. Total daily doses greater than 32 mg/360 mg per day (two tablets twice daily) are not recommended. In clinical trials, CONTRAVE was administered with meals.

How much weight can you lose in a week on Contrave?

The amount varies, but on average, people lose 5% to 10% of their starting weight, according to clinical trials and experts. In one 56-week study looking at Contrave combined with health habit changes, those on the drug lost more than 9% of their starting weight, while those on placebo lost just 5%.

Can you drink alcohol with Contrave?

Do not drink a lot of alcohol while taking CONTRAVE. If you drink a lot of alcohol, talk with your healthcare provider before suddenly stopping. If you suddenly stop drinking alcohol, you may increase your chance of having a seizure.

How can I take Contrave without getting sick?

In general, it is recommended you drink plenty of water when taking CONTRAVE. If you experience nausea, you may also want to eat a small amount of dry toast with CONTRAVE. If symptoms do not improve, please consult with your doctor who may also recommend an over-the-counter anti-nausea medication for you.

Is Wellbutrin the same as Contrave?

CONTRAVE contains bupropion, the same active ingredient as some other antidepressant medications (including, but not limited to, WELLBUTRIN, WELLBUTRIN SR, WELLBUTRIN XL, and APLENZIN). Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term trials.

Can I take Tylenol while taking Contrave?

acetaminophen naltrexone Naltrexone may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as acetaminophen may increase that risk.

Does Wellbutrin raise blood pressure?

Although one trial actually showed a decrease in blood pressure over the course of the study with Wellbutrin, there have been studies that report some increase in treatment-emergent hypertension with Wellbutrin, particularly when used with nicotine replacement for smoking cessation.

Is Wellbutrin bad for your heart?

There is a low risk of cardiovascular adverse events associated with stimulating agents, including bupropion. This risk increases if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, previous heart attack, or irregular heartbeat, or when used with transdermal nicotine replacement products.

What should you not take with Wellbutrin?

Do not take bupropion with a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, isocarboxazid [Marplan®], linezolid [Zyvox®], phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], tranylcypromine [Parnate®]). Do not start taking bupropion during the 2 weeks after you stop a MAO inhibitor.

Can I take naltrexone and bupropion together?

Naltrexone and bupropion combination is used together with a reduced-calorie diet and proper exercise to help lose weight and keep it off. This medicine is used in people who are overweight or very overweight and who also have weight-related medical problems.

What is naltrexone 4.5 mg used for?

Use: This preparation has been used in the treatment of fibromyalgia (musculoskeletal pain), psoriasis (4.5-mg capsules), complex regional pain syndrome type I, and other types of pain.

What are the most common side effects of naltrexone?

Nausea, headache, dizziness, anxiety, tiredness, and trouble sleeping may occur. In a small number of people, mild opiate withdrawal symptoms may occur, including abdominal cramps, restlessness, bone/joint pain, muscle aches, and runny nose.

Is bupropion bad for kidneys?

Kidney function: Bupropion is removed from the body by the kidneys. Decreased kidney function can cause this medication to build up in the body, causing side effects.

Can diabetics take bupropion?

Bupropion, a norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitor, is as effective for in the treatment of depression as the SSRIs,62 and has shown favorable effects on weight in patients with obesity and depressive symptoms63 and on glycemic control in patients with diabetes.

Does Wellbutrin make you angry?

Wellbutrin may cause anger. This side effect was a common in studies of Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL.