High Blood Pressure Medications

The American Heart Association describes various types of medications used to treat high blood pressure. Treating high blood pressure requires time and patience by the patient and physician. Some adjustments may be required to get the right combination of medications to control your blood pressure. Coping with the inconvenience of taking medication is better than the alternative – stroke  or heart disease.

Medications used to treat high blood pressure include:

• Antihypertensives – these lower blood pressure.
• Diuretics – these rid the body of excess fluid.
• Beta-blockers: these reduce the heart rate and heart’s blood output.
• Sympathetic nerve inhibitors: Prevents these nerves from constricting arteries, and raising blood pressure.
• Vasodilators: these cause the muscle in blood vessel walls to relax, allowing the vessel to widen.
• Angiotension-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: these drugs interfere with the body’s production of angiotension – a chemical that causes arteries to constrict.
• Calcium Antagonists – these reduce the heart rate and relax blood vessels.

Common blood pressure medications include: