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Are You Confused By The Enormous Number Of Blood Pressure Lowering Medicines?

Blood pressure reducing medications are frequently used when a program of diet and exercise has failed to lower your blood pressure to a satisfactory level or to regulate your pressure while you are making the necessary changes to your lifestyle to produce the desired results.

The number of blood pressure reducing medications available is overwhelming and, because many of the presently available medications are frequently used in combination for treatment, picking the right medication or combination of drugs gives your physician something of a headache. Here however is an overview of the different groups of blood pressure reducing medications presently in everyday use.

Diuretics

The first line of attack for mild cases of hypertension are diuretics which are designed to remove excess fluid from the body and, most importantly in terms of high blood pressure, to reduce levels of salt.

Commonly used diuretics include Midamor, Hygroton, Lasix, Bumex, Lozol, Diuril, Hydrodiuril, Esidrix and Aldactone.

A number of diuretic reduce the levels of potassium in the body and can produce weakness, tiredness and leg crfamoing. This can often be effectively countered by eating foods that contain potassium or by taking a potassium supplement in either liquid or tablet form. Diuretics may also produce raised blood sugar levels and a change of diet or drug, oral diabetic medication or insulin may be necessary in the case of diabetics.

ACE Inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors enlarge the blood vessels and therefore reduce the resistance to blood flow and pressure within these vessels. Consequently the heart does not need to work as hard to push blood throughout the body.

Commonly used ACE inhibitors include Lotensin, Mavik, Capoten, Vasotec, Aceon, Univasc, Prinivil, Accupril, Monopril, Altace and Zestril.

ACE inhibitors can cause a chronic hacking cough, a loss of taste and in rare cases kidney damage.

AT-2 Receptor Antagonists

Angiotensin-2 (AT-2) receptor antagonists work in a similar manner to ACE inhibitors but they have the benefit for many patients of not resulting in the hacking cough frequently seen from taking ACE inhibitors.

Frequently used AT-2 receptor antagonists include Atacand, Micardis, Avapro, Cozaar and Teveten.

There are usually few side effects with AT-2 receptor antagonists although in a few patients they can produce sporadic dizziness.

Beta Blockers

Beta blockers reduce blood pressure by decreasing both the heart rate and output.

Frequently used beta blockers include Sectral, Inderal, Betapace, Toprol XL, Lopressor, Tenormin, Cartrol, Blocadren, Corgard, Kerlone, Zebeta and Ziac.

A number of beta blockers can cause insomnia, tiredness, depression, the symptoms of asthma, cold hands and feet and in rare cases can produce impotence.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers assist in lowering blood pressure by interrupting the flow of calcium into both the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is generally agreed to be the world's most popular blood pressure drug - Norvasc.

Other common calcium blockers include Lotrel, Procardia, Plendil, Tiazac, Isoptin, Nimotop, Adalat, Cardizem, Vascor, Sular, Calan and Verelan.

The side effects differ widely across the range of calcium blockers but a few frequently seen side effects include headache, dizziness, constipation, palpitations and swollen ankles.

As you can see there is a huge number of medications available to reduce blood pressure and when you remember that these are frequently used together by combining say ACE inhibitors and diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the number of treatments available is almost too high to count.

Of course on the one hand this is good news as it means that it is possible to tailor treatment to the specific needs of each individual. However, on the other hand it also makes choosing the best treatment somewhat hard.

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TheBloodPressureCenter.com provides information on high blood pressure medicine including information about Norvasc hypertension dosage

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