Medication Treatment of Hypertension - Which Drugs are Best?

Normal blood pressure has a systolic reading of less than 120 and a diastolic of less than 80. (Though normal can vary from person to person. Ask your doctor or other health care professional what is normal for you). Hypertension is a systolic reading of 140 OR more or a diastolic reading of 90 or more.

Treatment of hypertension includes:

• Losing weight (even just a few pounds can help)

• Exercise

• Diet changes

• Medications

There are currently eight types of medications used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

1. Central acting medications - these directly affect your nervous system to reduce nerve signals that cause your blood vessels to constrict. Example - clonidine.

2. Diuretics - these are better known as "water pills". These help your body eliminate excess water in your body by urinating it out. Examples - Furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide.

3. Direct vasodilators - Relax the blood vessel walls' muscles - thus dilating them. Examples - minoxidil and hydralazine

4. Angiotensin - converting enzyme inhibitors - these keep your body from producing a hormone that causes the blood vessels to constrict. Examples - lisinopril, quinapril, and benazepril (and other medications with the ending of the word = ...pril)

5. Beta - blockers - these slow the heart rate. This causes less force to be exerted on your blood vessel walls and reduces blood pressure. Examples include - atenolol, propranolol, and carvedilol (and other medications with the ending of the word = ....olol

6. Angiotensin II receptor blockers - these protects your body from a hormone that causes the blood vessels to constrict. Examples - irbesartan, candesartan, and olmesartan (and other medications with ending of the word = .....sartan).

7. Calcium channel blockers - these keep your blood vessels from constricting by keeping calcium from entering your body's cells. Examples - diltiazem, felodipine, nicardipine, and verapamil.

8. Alpha blockers - these help relax blood vessels by reducing nerve signals. Examples - doxazosin, terazosin, and prazosin (and other medications with the ending of the word = ....zosin).

If you receive a new prescription from your doctor - make sure to take the medication as prescribed.

Hypertension Medications - Finding the Best Agent to Lowering Blood Pressure

Despite constant attempts to utilize alternate means of treating the condition often referred to as the "silent killer," Hypertension medications proves to be the most common treatment. Medical professionals generally prescribe a variety of medications to treat patients that suffer with high blood pressure. In most cases, these medications are effective and they prove to be particularly manageable.

Professional health providers' ultimate objective is to control the progression of hypertension as well as maintain healthy blood pressure levels. They are able to accomplish this thru the use of certain types of medications especially designed to attack the actual source of the disease.

After initial diagnosis, the physician will determine which medications best suits the patients' needs. Specifically, the type of drug as well as the dosage will depend on factors such as the status of the patients' current condition and/or the patients' pre-existing medical condition (s). The hypertension medications are classified as agents; called antihypertensive agents.

The antihypertensive agents are initially administered in low doses to regulate the blood pressure. The medical provider will monitor the effectiveness over a period of time. They will then determine it the dosage should be increased. Even after the blood pressure is lowered, many patients must continue to take them.

Other patients may be able to pursue other options, such as modifying their life- styles in order to stop taking the medications. There are different classes of hypertension medications that are classified as accommodating agents. Each of these agents affects each patient differently.

- Diurects or Water Pills

This drug increases the kidneys' excretion of sodium and water. It also decreases the volume of fluid in the blood stream as well as the pressure in the arteries. Diurects is the most common form of antihypertensive agent. Some forms of the water pills are Acetazolamide, Triamterene, Spirnolactone and Metolazone.

- Beta Blockers

This specific class of medication decreases the aggressiveness of the hearts contractions. As the blocker decreases the force used to pump blood into the arteries, the blood pressure is decreased. Additional benefits of this agent include prolonged life for patients with coronary artery disease, patients who have had heart attacks and patients suffering from congestive heart failure. Some forms of Beta Blockers are Metoprolol, Carvedilol and Atenolol.

- ACE Inhibitors

These hypertension medications are used to dialate the arteries. This decreases resistance to blood flow; thereby lowering the blood pressure. Inhibitors are also effective against congestive heart failure. Some forms or ACE Inhibitors include Lisinopril, Quinapril, Enalapril and Captopril.

Although each of these hypertension medications has proven effective for lowering blood pressure, they all induce annoying side effects. It is recommended, however, that the patient consult the primary physician immediately when the side effects become too prominent.

Coincidently, a change in a patients' daily life- style can also decrease the prominence of side effects or, in some cases, alleviate them all together. It is important to work with the primary physician to obtain the best combination of medications or agents to accommodate each patient's particular situation. Early diagnosis and patient awareness/education is a great start to prolong your life.