Are You Confused By The Large Number Of Blood Pressure Reducing Medicines? - By: Don Saunders

Blood pressure lowering medications are often used when a program of exercise and diet has failed to reduce your blood pressure satisfactorily or to control your blood pressure while you are making the required changes to your lifestyle to get the desired results.

The range of blood pressure reducing medications available today is overwhelming and, as many of the currently available medications are often used in combination, choosing the right medication or combination of drugs presents your physician with something of a headache. Here however is a general overview of the different groups of blood pressure reducing medications currently in day-to-day use.

Diuretics

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

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

Some 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 which contain potassium 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 diet or drug, oral diabetic medication or insulin might be necessary in the case of diabetics.

ACE Inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors enlarge the blood vessels and so reduce the resistance to blood flow and pressure in these vessels. Consequently the heart does not need to work as hard to pump blood around the body.

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

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

AT-2 Receptor Antagonists

Angiotensin-2 (AT-2) receptor antagonists work in much the same ways as ACE inhibitors but they have the benefit for many people of not resulting in the dry cough often experienced with taking ACE inhibitors.

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

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

Beta Blockers

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

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

A number of beta blockers can 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 impeding calcium flow into both the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is generally agreed to be the most prescribed blood pressure medication in the world - Norvasc.

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

Side effects differ widely across the range of calcium blockers but some frequently experienced side effects are headache, dizziness, constipation, palpitations and swollen ankles.

As you can see there is an enormous number of medications available to reduce blood pressure and when you take into account that these are often used together by combining for instance ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the range 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 precise needs of each patient. On the other hand however it also makes picking the right treatment somewhat hard.

About the Author

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

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