Here is a list of medications prescribed to deal with hypertension. Also get to know some important facts about these drugs, from this article.
Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is referred to as a condition that is characterized by the high force exerted by the blood against the artery walls. This force can be so high that it may result in a number of health problems, particularly, heart diseases. The hypertension medications list follows in the rest of the article.
Medicines Prescribed for High Blood Pressure
The most common medicine is called beta blocker. The purpose of these drugs is to slow down the rate and the force of the heartbeats. This is achieved by opening the blood vessels. These class of beta blockers are known to be not so effective when used on people belonging to the Afro-American race, or the elderly. They must be taken in conjunction with thiazide diuretic.
Then come thiazide diuretics. These drugs aid in reducing blood volume, by eliminating sodium and water from the body. As mentioned before, these medications may be combined with beta blockers to help reduce the blood pressure.
Blood vessels get narrowed as a result of the formation of certain natural chemicals in the body. So, once these chemicals are kept from forming, high blood pressure can be reduced significantly. For this purpose, drugs known as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were developed. Another form of these medications, work to hamper the action of the natural chemical. These are known as angiostensin II receptor blockers.
Next in this list of hypertension medications are calcium channel blockers. These medications suit those who do not do well with ACE inhibitors or beta blockers. These drugs not only relax the heart muscles but may also slow down the heart rate.
The kidneys may also be somewhat responsible for elevating blood pressure. This is due to the fact that these organs produce a hormone known as renin. This hormone triggers a chain of chemical reactions in the body, which eventually raises the blood pressure. So, to combat the production of this hormone, drugs known as renin inhibitors are brought into use.
In some people, these medications might not respond as expected. For them, alpha blockers (for reducing nerve impulses), alpha-beta blockers (for reducing nerve impulses and slowing down the heartbeat), central-acting agents (act on the signal of the brain) and vasodilators (affect the walls of the muscles of the arteries) are used.
Hypertension can be of two types; primary and secondary. For the former type, there are usually, no identifiable causes whatsoever. This kind typically develops over many years. Secondary hypertension is a result of some underlying medical condition, and it has the tendency to occur suddenly and be more severe than the primary one. This type may be a manifestation of kidney diseases, tumors of the adrenal glands, disorders of blood vessels, and side effects of medications or illegal drugs.
Medicines for Treating Pulmonary Hypertension
This form of hypertension is known to affect the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. The treatment plan for pulmonary hypertension involves medications such as vasodilators, calcium channel blockers, anticoagulants (to prevent blood clots) and diuretics. In addition to these, drugs known as endothelin receptor antagonists may also be prescribed. These work to reverse the effect of endothelin, which narrows the walls of the blood vessels. Other drugs include sildenafil (for easy blood flow) and ambrisentan (prevents narrowing of blood vessels).
Note that the above mentioned medications should not be mistaken for over-the-counter drugs. These are prescription-strength medications which must be used only with prior consultation of a doctor.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.
