In this article we prepared you something special. We want to explain you the uses, the treatments, and the side effects of blood pressure medicine.
The purpose of this article is to outline the basic blood pressure lowering drugs most commonly prescribed by doctors and their side effects. Hypertension also known as high blood pressure is a condition which can’t be ignored. It is in fact the silent killer and this is why medication must be prescribed. Please keep in mind that prescription medication may have some known side effects hence natural remedies must not be ignored if you cannot take any of the medication that are prescribed for this condition.
Drugs are prescribed for this condition if and only if hypertension is not controlled. The major types of drugs prescribed for the treatment of hypertension are: diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers. As a remark: these drugs are only masking one symptom of an unknown and incurable disease disease, they are anti-hypertensives and have absolutely no healing properties whatsoever.
Firs category of blood pressure lowering pills are the DIURETICS – Diuretics are basically dehydrators; removing fluid from your body by the way of the kidneys. This may cause a drop in blood pressure but the first question to come to mind is: What do you accomplish by draining your body fluids? Those fluids contain many minerals such as potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium, and by eliminating them can cause a condition called electrolyte imbalances (loss of minerals) in your body. Other problems caused by diuretics may include: irregular heart beat, gout, kidney damage or failure, uremia, hyperglycemia leading to diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, anemia, photosensitivity (light sensitivity), indigestion, headaches, visual disturbances, and also impotence.
More powerfull diuretics such as furosemide (Puresis, Aquarid, Lasix, Disal, Salix) or also reffered as “water pills” can cause thiamine deficiency (vitamin B1) that can lead to heart failure. You should not take this diuretic without vitamin B1 supplementation (250 mg twice daily at least).
The second category of blood pressure lowering medinice are ACE INHIBITORS – These pills are lowering the blood pressure by blocking the release of angiotensin. This is a hormone released by your body to raise the blood flow. Ace Inhibitors prevent the body from over producing this hormone present in lungs which makes the blood vessels contract and instead keeping them in a more relaxed state again the blood pressure is reduced. Their common side effect is dry cough. Examples of Ace Inhibitors: Zestril, Coversyl, Renitec, lispril etc.
The third category of blood pressure medicine is BETA BLOCKERS – This kind of pills act by reduceing the force of the heart’s contractions. What they do actually is that the heartbeat slows in reaction to the drug, and that lowers hypertension. A note here is that you are dealing with a cardiac drug, not just “blood pressure medicine.”
Since beta blockers are cardiatic drugs, what are the side effects? Beta blockers such as the drug Atenolol has side effects are as follows: excessive headaches, slower pulse, develop a dry mouth, and become tired more easily with accompanying mood changes. The digestive problems and the dizziness reported above is also a potential problem with these beta blockers plus further side effects are excessive spasms of the blood vessels in the fingers and toes in cold weather and also an increase in the incidence of attacks of cramp in the calf muscles. Note: asthmatics should never take beta blockers, since they may trigger life-threatening airway spasms.
The fourth category of blood pressure medicine are CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS – Calcium Channel Blockers block the movement of calcium across cell membranes. This suppresses muscular contraction, which dilates the arteries and reduces resistance to blood flow, hence a reduction in blood pressure.
Calcium Channel Blocker medicine examples is Amlodipine, Isoptin, Calan, Herbessor, Norvasc, Sofvasc. While taking this drug you may experience: headaches, a rash and increased blood flow to the skin resulting in feelings of flushing, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and some incidences of fluid retention i.e. puffy ankles; an overall loss of power and strength, an enlargement of the gums and a reversible inability for a man to have an erection.
These are the four basic blood pressure lowering medicine doctors most commonly prescribe and their side effects. Hypertension is a very serious condition and it can’t be ignored. Please keep in mind that prescription medication for hypertension like all other medication have side effects which you must take into account and discuss about them with your doctor or a pharmaceutical specialist.
For your health,
The EremedyPharma Team.
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