Are You Confused By The Wide Range Of Blood Pressure Lowering Drugs?
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By :
Donald Saunders
Submitted
2007-11-29 03:04:21 |
Blood pressure reducing medications are normally used when exercise and diet has failed to lower your blood pressure satisfactorily or to control your blood pressure while you are making the necessary changes to your lifestyle to get the desired results.
The number of blood pressure reducing medications available is amazing and, as many of the presently available medications are frequently used in combination for treatment, choosing the correct drug or combination of drugs presents your physician with something of a headache. However, here is a general overview of the different groups of blood pressure reducing drugs presently in everyday use.
Diuretics
The first line of attack are diuretics which are simply designed to remove excess fluid from the body and, more importantly as far as blood pressure is concerned, to lower levels of sodium.
Common diuretics include Midamor, Esidrix, Diuril, Hygroton, Bumex, Hydrodiuril, Lasix, Lozol and Aldactone.
Several diuretic lower the levels of potassium in the body and might lead to tiredness, weakness and leg crfamoing. This can normally be countered effectively by eating foods that contain potassium or by taking a potassium supplement in either liquid or tablet form. Diuretics can 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 expand the blood vessels and thus reduce the resistance to blood flow and pressure in these vessels. As a consequence the heart does not need to work as hard to pump blood around the body.
Common ACE inhibitors include Lotensin, Capoten, Mavik, Vasotec, Prinivil, Altace, Univasc, Monopril, Aceon, Accupril and Zestril.
ACE inhibitors might cause a chronic hacking cough, a skin rash and in very rare cases kidney damage.
AT-2 Receptor Antagonists
Angiotensin-2 (AT-2) receptor antagonists work in much the same ways as ACE inhibitors although they have the benefit for many patients of not resulting in the hacking cough often experienced with taking ACE inhibitors.
Commonly used AT-2 receptor antagonists include Atacand, Avapro, Cozaar, Micardis and Teveten.
There are generally very few side effects with AT-2 receptor antagonists although in a few patients they might produce sporadic dizziness.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers lower blood pressure by decreasing both the heart rate and output.
Commonly used beta blockers include Sectral, Tenormin, Toprol XL, Inderal, Cartrol, Kerlone, Corgard, Blocadren, Lopressor, Zebeta, Betapace and Ziac.
A number of beta blockers might cause insomnia, depression, cold hands and feet, tiredness, the symptoms of asthma and in very rare cases can produce impotence.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium channel blockers assist in lowering blood pressure by interrupting calcium flow into both the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is generally agreed to be the most prescribed blood pressure drug in the world - Norvasc.
Other commonly used calcium blockers include Lotrel, Plendil, Cardizem, Adalat, Calan, Procardia, Isoptin, Tiazac, Nimotop, Sular, Vascor and Verelan.
Side effects differ widely from one calcium blocker to the next but a few frequently experienced side effects include headache, palpitations, constipation, dizziness and swollen ankles.
As can be seen there is an enormous number of medications available for reducing blood pressure and when you consider that these are frequently used together by combining for instance ACE inhibitors and diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the range of treatments available is almost too high to count.
On the one hand of course this is excellent news as it means that it is possible to tailor treatment to the exact needs of each individual. On the other hand however it also makes choosing the correct treatment somewhat difficult.
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Author Resource:-
TheBloodPressureCenter.com provides information on blood pressure medication including information about Norvasc blood pressure medicine
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