Blood pressure lowering medicines are usually used when a program of exercise and diet has failed to lower your blood pressure to a safe level or to regulate your blood pressure while you are making the necessary lifestyle changes to get the desired results.
The range of blood pressure reducing medicines available nowadays is amazing and, because many of the presently available medicines are often used in combination for treatment, choosing the correct medication or combination of medicines gives your physician something of a headache. Here however is an overview of the various different groups of blood pressure reducing drugs presently in day-to-day use.
Diuretics
The first line of attack for reasonably mild cases of high blood pressure are diuretics which are designed to remove excess fluid from the body and, most importantly in terms of high blood pressure, to lower salt levels.
Commonly used diuretics include Midamor, Lozol, Esidrix, Diuril, Hygroton, Bumex, Hydrodiuril, Lasix and Aldactone.
A number of diuretic lower the levels of potassium in the body and might produce tiredness, weakness and leg crfamoing. This can generally be countered effectively by adding foods which contain potassium to your meals or by taking a potassium supplement in either tablet or liquid form. Diuretics may also result in raised blood sugar levels and a change of drug or changes to diet, oral diabetic medication or insulin might be necessary in the case of diabetics.
ACE Inhibitors
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors act to expand the blood vessels and therefore reduce resistance and pressure in these vessels. Consequently the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the body.
Commonly used ACE inhibitors include Lotensin, Mavik, Prinivil, Capoten, Vasotec, Aceon, Altace, Monopril, Accupril, Univasc and Zestril.
ACE inhibitors may cause a loss of taste, a chronic hacking cough and in rare cases kidney damage.
AT-2 Receptor Antagonists
Angiotensin-2 (AT-2) receptor antagonists work in a similar manner to ACE inhibitors although they have the benefit for many patients of not leading to the hacking cough often experienced from taking ACE inhibitors.
Frequently used AT-2 receptor antagonists include Atacand, Micardis, Cozaar, Avapro and Teveten.
There are generally few side effects experienced with AT-2 receptor antagonists although in a few patients they might produce occasional dizziness.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers act to lower blood pressure by decreasing both the heart rate and output.
Frequently used beta blockers include Sectral, Zebeta, Betapace, Toprol XL, Tenormin, Kerlone, Corgard, Inderal, Lopressor, Cartrol, Blocadren and Ziac.
Some beta blockers might cause insomnia, depression, the symptoms of asthma, tiredness, cold hands and feet and in rare cases can result in impotence.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure by interrupting calcium flow into the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is commonly agreed to be the world's most popular blood pressure drug - Norvasc.
Other commonly used calcium blockers include Lotrel, Plendil, Vascor, Isoptin, Nimotop, Procardia, Tiazac, Adalat, Calan, Cardizem, Sular and Verelan.
The side effects differ widely from one calcium blocker to the next but a few commonly experienced side effects are headache, dizziness, constipation, palpitations and swollen ankles.
As you can see there is a huge number of medicines available to lower blood pressure and when you take into account that these are often used together by combining for instance ACE inhibitors and diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the range of treatments available is truly enormous.
On the one hand of course this is good news because it means that doctors can tailor treatment to the precise needs of each individual. However, on the other hand it also makes choosing the best treatment somewhat hard.
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