Ask the doctor: Blood pressure drugs and potassium
Q. The June 2013 issue states on page 3 that "it's important to increase potassium intake, particularly if you take a diuretic." But on page 5, it says that if you take spironolactone (which I do), you should avoid high-potassium foods. I am confused—should I be eating bananas and other potassium-rich foods or not?
A. All diuretics reduce the amount of sodium and water in the body (the less fluid in the bloodstream, the lower the pressure on the walls of the arteries). But there are three major classes of diuretics, each with different side effects and precautions. And that's where the confusion often arises.