Hydralazine and Shortness Of Breath: What Users Say

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "I had A-Fib and hypertension. I went for an angiogram and a stent was placed in one artery. Afterwards, my BP spiked. They are giving me 4 different BP meds plus Crestor, Plavix, and Xarelto, but my BP was still 170/80! They tell me that they are going to add one more BP drug to work on that top number...Hydralazine. After the second 20 mg dose, I had a really bad reaction. My BP went from 170/80 to 210/100. I am short of breath, tight-chested, experiencing numbness in my right hand, and my vision in my right eye was failing. I thought that I was stroking out. My wife is an RN, she calmed me down and convinced me I was having a drug reaction."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 24, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "Was given this along with 4 other meds to help lower my BP, I have heart failure, an enlarged heart, and hypertension. Was given through an IV at 06:30 and immediately had tingling in my hands and feet. Later at 10:30, my sister came to sit with me. I was in the middle of an echocardiogram, and this time I thought I was dying. I couldn’t feel the top of my head, it went completely numb. The tingling in my hands and feet were at the same time, but then I noticed my face, tongue, and throat tingling as well, just more intense. They had to call the medical response team in and were doing the stroke test questions and movements on me. All I could manage were tears and prayers. My breathing was severely labored, my speech wasn’t clear as I couldn’t really feel my face, throat, or tongue. I will not EVER take it again. It didn’t help and made matters worse. I was sad thinking my sister was sitting right beside me and was going to watch me die. I won't let anyone give it to me again."

• fir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "Went to the ER at the local hospital for excruciating back pain, & found my BP to be 213/103, which was enough to have me admitted. Spent 3 days in there, & 50mg twice a day of Hydralazine was one of the meds they put me on. Taking these with a meal, & glass of milk to try to ease the side effects barely helps. I get really drowsy with body aches where I want to take a nap, but can't sleep, & find myself sitting, staring at the floor a lot, unable to concentrate, really short of breath to the point where just walking 50 feet becomes laboring. On a positive note, my diastolic reading has dropped over 50 points. As for the back pain, I found out a previous blood pressure medicine had drained my body of Potassium. Once my levels were normal, the pain went away."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I was started on Hydralazine 25 mg twice daily in mid-Feb, following high BP readings. In early March, I was experiencing shortness of breath, but at the time, it was attributed to a lung issue rather than a heart issue. I also started to get tiny blisters all over my body, horrible pain in one arm, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and a feeling of heaviness in my chest. When the blister issue got worse, I decided to research my new meds. Among the top side effects are the ones I just listed. I agree with a previous reviewer, one must self-advocate when taking a medication."

• Joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 23, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I was started on 3 pills of hydralazine 25 mg, 8 hours apart, for high blood pressure, along with two 6.25 carvedilol twice daily, and after taking them, I couldn't breathe. After stopping the hydralazine, I could breathe, but my blood pressure rose to dangerous heights on just the carvedilol. It is back to the doctor."

• Kik...
• January 13, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I took hydralazine 50 mg on January 11, 2017. It felt like someone had given me a shot of morphine. This med messed me up. My heart rate was 122, my chest hurt, and I had difficulty breathing. I was dizzy, tired, and sleepy and immediately called my cardiologist and reported my side effect. I was told to take 50 mg of metoprolol so it would lower my heart rate. My legs and arm muscles hurt, and I will never take this medication again."

• Ire...
• December 31, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "75 yr old mom was put on this med for hypertension. After only about 2 weeks, she began having extreme tiredness (one day she stayed in bed until 2 p.m.), weakness (couldn't lift 4 cups of coffee in the decanter), mental fog, muscle and joint aches (upper arms and thighs), pain/weakness in hands (difficulty wringing out a washcloth), upper abdominal pain, shortness of breath and rapid heart rate. Notified Dr. Mom stopped taking it 24 hrs ago. I hope her symptoms (side effects) improve quickly. I was reading about drug-induced lupus, and I truly believe Mom was experiencing the beginning of this. Google it!"

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 28, 2021

Hydralazine for High Blood Pressure "This medication was awful. Within one day of taking it, I experienced pain in my back, hips, and legs, along with shortness of breath when trying to go on a walk. It was awful. I took it for about 10 days, then stopped. Side effects went away after about two days. I would rather die than take that drug again."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I used hydralazine for five days. I had trouble breathing, started coughing badly, severe headaches, and a runny nose like a faucet. This medicine did not lower my blood pressure like it should have. I stopped using it so I could breathe better. I still have a hacking cough, but I am not coughing all night. My nose still runs, but not as much. I also have a loss of appetite. This is bad medicine. I was taking a 25 mg tablet three times a day."

• Rdu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I was on hydralazine for just less than a month. Started at 10 mg and increased to 50 mg 3 times per day. The side effects were mild to start, so because I had had a mastectomy a month prior, I blew the side effects off. Finally, with the increase in the dose, I couldn’t discount the extreme shortness of breath, throat swelling, heart rate in the low 100s at rest in a recliner, chest pain, and feet and ankle swelling. Of course, anxiety considering what was happening. Stopped the medication, and in 24 hours was better. Took about 10 days to get back to baseline. Was put on irbesartan and no more side effects, and blood pressure is under control."