HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS

It is not necessary that everyone who is diagnosed with high blood pressure need drugs to control the disease. For some of you, the doctor may just recommend a healthy diet, regular physical exercise and losing excess weight. In cases where medication is mandatory the doctor suggests drugs based on your age, sex, race and hereditary factors. However, you need to keep in mind that the medicines check your high blood pressure level but it does not cure you of your ailment. Thus to avoid a recurrence and live normally you need to continue the medicines lifelong.

The various drugs for High Blood Pressure

Diuretics

Diuretics have been used over the years for treating hypertension. They help in removing the salt from your body by flushing it out from your kidneys. The increase in urine content helps to reduce the fluid in the bloodstream thereby exerting less pressure on the arteries. There could also be removal of water from your body. Sometimes diuretics are effective in treating high blood pressure without the need of any other drugs. Some of the Diuretic drugs are chlorthalidone, furosemide and indapamide.

Beta Blockers

Beta Blockers is the next drug commonly used for controlling high blood pressure. The Beta Blockers are known to reduce the heart rate and also reduce the contracting force of the heart thus reducing the blood pressure level. Some Beta Blockers are acebutolol, atenolol and nadolol.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium deposits are the causes for hardening of arteries which increases the blood pressure levels. The work of the Calcium Channel Blockers is to stop the calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and arteries. Since there is less accumulation of calcium in the arteries there are fewer chances of you developing hypertension. Some Calcium Channel Blocker drugs used are felodipine, isradipine and nifedipine.

ACE Inhibitors

The ACE Inhibitors blocks an enzyme that helps in converting the inactive angiotensin to its active form which narrows the arteries. This affects the rennin-angiotensin hormonal system that regulates your blood pressure. The use of ACE Inhibitors has shown marked improvements in Caucasians suffering from high blood pressure. This treatment is also useful for African-Americans but with higher dosages and they respond positively if combined with Diuretics. ACE Inhibitors are also known to reduce enlarged hearts of patients with high blood pressure. These drugs also slow down the deterioration of kidneys and are effective for those of you who have congestive heart failure. The ACE Inhibitors are not recommended for pregnant women. Some of the ACE Inhibitors are captopril, lisinopril and moexipril.

Sympathetic Nerve Inhibitors

Sympathetic Nerve Inhibitors are the other class of drugs that restraining the sympathetic nerves that go from the brain to other parts of the body from constriction and maintain the blood pressure level.

Vasodilators

Vasodilators are another drug group that causes the muscle of the blood vessel walls to relax and dilate.