Blood Pressure Medications to Lower the Risk of Heart Ailments!

The first step that all of us should take when facing high blood pressure issues is to change our lifestyle. However, if making lifestyle changes isn’t enough to control blood pressure, then medicines are the next option you might consider. In this brief, we will talk about such medications in detail, which can make a significant change in your high blood pressure and problems related to it.

• Diuretics

These are also known by the term water pills. Diuretics can remove excess water and sodium ions from the human body. Hence, there’s less fluid flowing through your blood vessels. The reduction diminishes the pressure on blood vessel walls. There are three primary diuretics: thiazide, loop, and potassium-sparing. Some of the exmaples of diuretics include chlorothiazide, bumetanide and amiloride. However, these are not the only meds in the market. Please note that diuretics aren’t always going to lower your blood pressure. There is every chance that the doctor may recommend another medicine.

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

ACE inhibitors can relax the blood vessels by stopping the build-up of angiotensin. It is a chemical in the human body that can narrow down the blood vessels. There are multiple ace inhibitors available. These include enalapril, lisinopril, and ramipril, to name a few.

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• Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

ARBs can block the action of angiotensin. You already know angiotensin’s potential, right? ARB drugs include valsartan, losartan, and a few other medicines.

• Calcium channel blockers

These blockers can prevent calcium from entering the cardiac or arterial cells. The barrier allows the arteries to relax and open. Some examples of these blockers include amlodipine, diltiazem, nifedipine, and verapamil.

• Beta-blockers

Quite a popular entry, this one! The beta-blockers work by suppressing the effects of the hormone epinephrine. You probably already know this hormone as adrenaline. The effect slows down the heartbeat and makes it pump a little less forcefully. Some examples of beta-blockers include metoprolol, nadolol, and atenolol.

• Renin-inhibitors

 Our kidneys produce renin, which can trigger a series of steps that increases blood pressure. Aliskiren can slow down the production of renin, which lessens its ability to initiate the process.

Some Other Medications for Your Consideration! 

The following list of drugs is very effective when it comes down to lowering blood pressure. Maybe one of these will prove to be beneficial for your cause!

• Alpha-blockers

Alpha-blockers stop the hormone norepinephrine from tightening the muscles in the walls of smaller arteries and veins. As a result, the alpha-blockers can keep the vessels open and relaxed. Some of the commonly prescribed alpha-blockers include doxazosin, prazosin, and terazosin.

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• Alpha-beta blockers

Alpha-beta blockers work similarly to beta-blockers. They are an option that you can consider if you have high blood pressure and face the risk of heart failure. Two of the alpha-beta blockers that are very popular include carvedilol and labetalol.

• Central-acting agents

Their goal is to prevent the brain from sending signals to the nervous system to speed up the heart rate. Courtesy of this, the heart doesn’t pump forcefully, and the blood flows more quickly through the blood vessels. Some examples of central-acting agents include clonidine, guanfacine, and methyldopa.

• Vasodilators

Such medicines can prevent the muscles in your veins and arteries from narrowing down. As a result, the blood flows easily and without needing heart-pumping it out forcefully. Some of the examples of vasodilators include hydralazine and minoxidil.

• Aldosterone antagonists

Such medications are often used with other drugs, such as diuretics. Aldosterone antagonists block the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone can sometimes cause salt and fluid retention, contributing to high blood pressure. Some of the examples of aldosterone antagonists include spironolactone and eplerenone.

The efficiency of a particular drug works on many factors, including age, sex, race, blood pressure level, and overall health status.

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Making Changes In Lifestyle!

Some of these lifestyle changes can prove to be a game-changer. Try them out!

• Eating a healthy diet enriched with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Reduce the sodium’s amount in your diet as much as you can.
• Keep shedding the extra KGs of the holiday weight!
• Thirty minutes of exercise can prove to be very much game-changing as well.
• Don’t drink excessively.
• Smoking may not kill you immediately, but it is best to ditch the habit if you are worried about the high blood pressure issue.
• Managing your stress is an art; make sure you are being careful about things.

These Drugs Don’t Target Just High Blood Pressure!

The problem of high blood pressure often goes hand in hand with a plethora of other health problems. High BP can increase the risk of diseases such as:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Diabetes
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Left ventricular hypertrophy

A significant factor in a targeted treatment approach can reduce the risk of such complications. Now, if you are suffering from chest pain, also called angina, related to coronary artery disease, your doctor may recommend a beta-blocker. The goals behind this recommendation are to lower the blood pressure, stop chest pain, diminish your heart rate and minimize the risk of a fatality.

Suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure? Taking a diuretic combined with an ACE inhibitor can diminish the risk of a heart attack as well as a stroke. Also, if you are a patient suffering from diabetes or kidney disease, an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker can prove to be a game-changer in your case.

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Don’t Give Up, Make Sure You Reach Your Goals!

In most cases, a combination of lifestyle changes plus medications can help you control your blood pressure. Nevertheless, it’s not unheard of to try several medicines before figuring out what works the best for you. Monitoring the blood pressure at home can give you a clue about the situation. You can easily purchase a blood pressure monitoring device; you don’t need the doctor’s signature for those. You can buy such a device at your nearest pharmacy with ease; they are not very expensive either.