High blood pressure, commonly known as hypertension refers to an increase in the pressure with which the blood flows through the arteries in the body.
In case you are affected by high blood pressure, you may face certain symptoms such as dizziness and headache. If left untreated, it may prove fatal.
Drugs And Medications To Treat High Blood Pressure
Diuretics
Diuretic drugs, commonly known as water pills, effectively reduce the blood pressure by lowering the blood volume by flushing out excess water and sodium from the body.
Diuretics work so as help the kidneys expel excess water and salt from the body and reduce blood volume thus lowering the blood pressure. Often, this is the first choice of medication among high blood pressure patients and can be used alone or in combination with other drugs as well.
Beta-blockers
Often combined with a thiazide diuretic, it works wonderfully in lowering blood pressure by reducing the workload on the heart. Beta blockers cause the heart vessels to dilate, thus resulting in slower heartbeat and lowering blood pressure.
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
These medications block the production of enzyme Angiotensin which acts as a vasodilator and thus open up the blood vessels reducing blood pressure.
Alpha Blockers
Certain chemicals in the blood cause the blood vessels to narrow. Alpha blockers work against these chemicals and reduce the impact of nerve impulses that affect the blood vessels and thus reduce the blood pressure significantly. Common alpha blockers include Terazosin, Torazosin and Phentolamine.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium blockers work by relaxing the blood vessels of the heart causing the heart rate to slow down. Their work is analogous to that of beta blockers.
Calcium, which plays an important role in the contraction of muscle cells, is prevented from achieving the contraction by the action of calcium channel blockers.
Vasodilators
Vasodilators prevent the narrowing and tightening of muscles of the blood vessels and thus reduce blood pressure effectively. They are probably the most widely used medications to treat hypertension.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
These drugs selectively block certain chemicals in the blood that cause vasoconstriction and thus ease the flow of blood through the arterial walls, lowering the blood pressure.
Alpha-beta blockers
By lowering the heartbeats and reducing action of nerve impulses on the arterial walls, alpha beta blockers lower the blood pressure to a great extent.
Renin Inhibitors
Renin, an enzyme produced by the kidney that stimulates an increase in blood pressure, is inhibited by the action of Renin inhibitors.
Central Acting Agents
These drugs influence the central nervous system to reduce the nerve impulses that stimulate the vasoconstriction and increase in blood pressure. These agents relax the blood vessels by controlling the nerve impulses that affect them.
Other natural methods such as consumption of garlic, fish oil, folic acid and regular moderate exercise along with recommended dietary modifications are effective in treating high blood pressure. One can use natural methods in combination with the above mentioned drugs to control hypertension with ease.
