Pottassium and ace inhibitors

I read don't eat bananas if you take ace inhibitors or angiotensin blocker

I love bananas but this article says can accumulate to much as these medications prevent excretion of pottassium

Anyone heard of this

[lettingoffsteam]

I eat a banana every day and take ramipril, an ace inhibitor which has the effect of lowering my bp.My GP is totally fine with this.

[Celtic]

I take ARBs plus others and I do experience raised potassium. As a result I do watch my potassium intake to a certain extent, for instance I never have more than one banana a week whereas some years ago I would have one every day, I also watch my tomato intake. However, I do have reduced kidney function which in itself can make it difficult for the body to deal with potassium levels,

[Lezzers]

I know of lots of people who take these and eat banana's or other high potassium foods & have no issues. Can you post a link to the article?

Can I also ask what meds you take and have you ever been told you have high potassium? Do you know what your potassium level is?

[Squoozy]

Interestingly, my husband has been having awful cramps in his arms and had a call about this with his consultant on Friday. The consultant has asked him to get a blood test to check his potassium level because Candesartan and Eplerenone taken together may increase potassium levels and lead to cramps. In addition, we already knew that bananas contain a lot of potassium and asked him about it. He was doubtful that bananas made any difference but we were wondering whether he should stop eating them.

[Lezzers in reply to Squoozy]

I think I would wait & see what your husbands potassium level is. A lot of foods are high in potassium, leafy green veg, tomatoes, potatoes etc.

My husbands potassium level is often above range but this was caused by spironolactone, not by his candesartan. Once he stopped the spironolactone his reading went back into normal range.

He was given a low potassium diet sheet but it is a very bland diet which fortunately he doesn't have to follow.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

The PIL (patient information leaflet) with my Lisinopril only mentions potassium supplements. I think many people randomly add vitamins and supplements to their diet to do little more than generate expensive pee! If you have concerns you should talk with your GP who can best advise on your personal situation.

[Lezzers]

What a lot of people don't realise is low salt substitutes are very high in potassium!

[Routemaster in reply to Lezzers]

Yes, when I was discharged from hospital the cardiac nurse told me to avoid all low salt substitutes.

[Goldfish7]

I believe bananas are no more useful for boosting potassium levels than most green veg - apparently it was a coup for the banana marketing people. So as long as you eat a healthy diet with lots of greens you are probably getting an adequate amount of potassium anyway so the odd banana is probably not going to make a lot of odds. Whether there is an issue of potassium build up to an unhealthy level with ace inhibitors or angiotensin blockers I don't know - best to check it out with your GP or to not worry about it until you feel you are getting some negative effects. I'm guessing the tablets should have been tested on people following a normal healthy diet (not totally convinced of this though).

[Trog1]

When I left hospital last year my potassium was very low and, despite the fact I take a low dose ramipril 1.25 mg each day, I was told I could have half a large or a small banana each day as I needed to try to raise my potassium. I still have half a banana along with a small handful of blueberries in my porridge every morning. Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to Trog1]

I have a banana and blueberries in my porridge have lots of vegetables as reduce fat

[SylviaBerry]

Ive heard this as well. i avoided potassium rich foods when I was on an ACE. I got fed up with it because it really limited me on what I could have. Im on losartan potassium ARB now, along with amlodipine. I eat what I like really within reason and had totally forgotton about the risks re too much potassium in the diet. I get the odd cramp here and there ans sometimes a bit achey in the kidneys. Youve set me thinking again...I eat an awful lot of tomatoes and I think they are best cut down on as they are well known curlprits. Its hard, because they tell heart patients to eat the Mediterranean diet, then put us on tablets that contradict that.