Blood Pressure Medication
For controlling blood pressure, there are few groups of medications used nowadays. We will list these groups, and then study the individual details related to them.
1. Diuretics
2. Beta Blockers
3. ACE inhibitors / ARB (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers)
4. Calcium Channel blockers
5. Alpha Blockers
6. Alpha Beta Blockers
7. Nervous System Inhibitors
8. Vasodilators
1. Diuretics:
These medications are commonly known as the water pills. This is because they work in the kidney in order to excrete excessive amounts of water from the body. There are many sub categories such as loop diuretics, potassium sparing diuretics and thiazide diuretics.
2. Beta Blockers:
Beta blockers are medications that function to reduce the nerve impulses to the heart and muscles, so that the heart beats slower and the blood pressure stays in the low limits. These favor a low load on the heart.
3. ACE inhibitors:
ACE inhibitors have the function of inhibiting the conversion of an enzyme, which is known as Angiotensin Converting Enzyme. This leads to the inability of formation of a hormone known as Angiotensin II which has the function that causes the blood vessels to get narrow. When there is no creation of this hormone, there is no constriction of the blood vessels and hence, the blood pressure does not rise. The ACE inhibitors had an adverse effect of producing a cough in 30% of individuals taking it. Hence, now, Angiotensin Receptor Inhibitors are available which directly block the hormone receptor rather than the enzyme, thereby treating the cause that produces the cough.
4. Calcium Channel Blockers:
They inhibit calcium from entering the muscles cells of the heart and blood vessels, causing the blood pressure to relax and consequently, the pressure drops.
5. Alpha blockers:
The function of these drugs is to reduce the nerve impulses to blood vessels thereby allowing the blood to pass more easily, causing the blood pressure to go down.
6. Alpha beta blockers:
Along with the function of blocking the alpha receptors (as mentioned above), these drugs also block the beta receptors by which, less blood is pumped through the vessels and consequently, the blood pressure falls.
7. Nervous System Inhibitors:
These drugs are aimed to inhibit the nerve impulses that are controlling the blood pressure in the blood vessels. This will cause these blood vessels to relax and the pressure to drop down.
8. Vasodilators:
These drugs function directly on the blood vessels, thereby allowing them to relax the muscle in the blood vessel musculature. This causes these vessels to remain dilated and consequently, the blood pressure drops down.
These are the basic groups that are controlling the blood pressure. It depends upon the severity of the disease, and the doctor’s recommendation as to use one group, or few particular groups of drugs. The patient should ask the doctor about any adverse reactions with the drugs that are being prescribed, and whether these drugs will go together with any of the drugs that the patient is taking. |
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