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

By: Donald Saunders
Submitted: 2007-11-29 12:52:30
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Blood pressure reducing medications are normally used when a program of exercise and diet has failed to lower your blood pressure to a safe level or to control your pressure while you are making the required lifestyle changes to get the desired results.

The range of blood pressure lowering medications available is staggering and, because many of the presently available medications are often used in combination, selecting the correct medicine or combination of drugs presents your doctor with something of a headache. Here however is an overview of the various different groups of blood pressure lowering medications presently in day-to-day use.

Diuretics

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

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

A number of diuretic reduce potassium levels in the body and may lead to tiredness, weakness and leg cramps. This can usually be effectively countered by adding foods which contain potassium to your meals or by taking a potassium supplement in either tablet or liquid form. Diuretics can also lead to raised blood sugar levels and a change of drug or changes to diet, insulin or oral anti-diabetic medication might be necessary for diabetics.

ACE Inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors act to expand the blood vessels and therefore reduce the resistance to blood flow and pressure in these vessels. As a consequence the heart does not have to work as much to pump blood throughout the body.

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

ACE inhibitors might cause a loss of taste, a chronic dry 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 resulting in the dry cough often seen from taking ACE inhibitors.

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

There are generally few side effects seen with AT-2 receptor antagonists although in a few patients they may produce occasional dizziness.

Beta Blockers

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

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

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

Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers assist in lowering blood pressure by interrupting calcium flow into the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is generally agreed to be the most prescribed blood pressure medicine in the world - Norvasc.

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

Side effects differ widely across the range of calcium blockers but a few commonly seen side effects are headache, palpitations, dizziness, constipation and swollen ankles.

As can be seen there is a huge number of medications available to lower blood pressure and when you consider that these are often used together by combining for example ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the range of possible treatments is truly enormous.

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 patient. On the other hand however it also makes finding the best treatment somewhat hard.

Article source: Expert Articles