Blood Pressure Medication: Patients of African American descent react differently to different antihypertensive drugs.
Certain patient populations must use a certain class of high blood pressure medicine. These comprise:
Expectant Women
One of the oldest high blood pressure drugs on the market is the drug of choice for hypertensive pregnant women. Methyldopa has the least chance of damaging the mother or the fetus because it lowers blood pressure by acting on the central nervous system.
Labetalol, beta-blockers, and diuretics are further potential risk-free alternatives.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors are two pharmacological groups that should never be used while pregnant.
African-Americans
African-Americans are more likely to develop hypertension and to have more severe cases of it. Additionally, certain drugs that lower blood pressure in people of other races may only have a limited impact on African-Americans. It is advised to start with thiazide diuretics (like HCTZ) or calcium channel blockers and then maybe add a second medication from either the ACE inhibitor class or the angiotensin II receptor blocker family.
Senior Citizens
Systolic hypertension risk rises with age and is exacerbated by advanced atherosclerosis.
According to one study, older adults with systolic hypertension responded favorably to the diuretic chlorthalidone (Hygroton).
Some calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers may also be beneficial additions to a diuretic.
DRUGS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE –
There are various groups of blood pressure drugs, and each class works in a different way to lower blood pressure.
There are various blood pressure medicine classes. The method that each class decreases blood pressure varies. These ten classes of blood pressure medicines are listed.
Diuretics
Beta-blockers
ACE blockers
Blockers of the angiotensin II receptor
Blockers of calcium channels
Alpha-blockers
Agonist of the alpha-2 receptor
agonists in the brain
Adrenergic blockers for the periphery
Vasodilators
DIURETICS
Diuretics cause more urine, which causes the body to lose fluid and sodium. The reduced blood volume, this can aid in lowering blood pressure. Although they are more frequently used in conjunction with other high blood pressure drugs, diuretics can occasionally be used to treat mild hypertension on their own. Diuretics include, for instance:
Bumex, or bumetanide
Hydrroton® (chlorthalidone)
Diuril (chlorothiazide)
(Edecrin) Ethacrynate
Laxative (furosemide)
(Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Microzide) Hydrochlorothiazide
Lzol (Indapamide)
Enduron® (methylclothiazide)
(Mykroz, Zaroxolyn) Metolazone
Demadex (torsemide)
Blood Pressure Medication
Loss of potassium, which leaves the body with sodium in the urine, is one of the adverse effects of diuretics.
Potassium is essential for healthy muscle function, and a lack of it can cause weakness, fatigue, leg cramps, and even cardiac issues.
The recommendation to take classic diuretics with a potassium-rich food, like orange juice or a banana, or the recommendation to take a potassium supplement is frequently given to patients taking these medications.
Later, several diuretics were created to address the problem of potassium depletion. These drugs for high blood pressure are referred to be “potassium-sparing” diuretics. They consist of triamterene (Dyrenium), amiloride (Midamor), and spironolactone.
Blood Pressure Medication
There are also combination diuretics, which combine a typical diuretic with a potassium-sparing drug. These include triamterene and HCTZ (Dyazide, Maxzide), spironolactone and HCTZ (Aldactazide), and amiloride hydrochloride and HCTZ (Moduretic).
BETA-BLOCKERS
Beta-blockers work by directly affecting the heart to reduce blood pressure. These high blood pressure drugs lessen blood volume, heart rate, and pumping effort. Beta-blockers consist of:
Acamprosate (Sectral)
Tenormin, or atenolol
(Zebeta) Bisoprolol fumarate
Alpha/beta blocker combined carvedilol (Coreg)
Brevibloc (Esmolol)
(Trandate, Normodyne) Labetalol — Alpha/beta blocker combined
Metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL) and metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor)
Aspirin (Corgard)
Bystolic nebivolol
Penbutol sulfate (Levatol)
Inderal: propranolol
Betapace’s Sotalol
Ziac, a combination of bisoprolol and HCTZ, is a beta-blocker.
the ACE INHIBITORS
A hormone in the body called angiotensin narrows blood arteries. Inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) assist lower blood pressure by reducing the generation of angiotensin. ACE inhibitors include, for instance:
Amlodipine besylate (Lotrel, Norvasc)
Clevidipine (Cleviprex) and Diltiazem hydrochloride (Cardizem CD, Cardizem SR, Dilacor XR, Tiazac) are two medications.
Plendil, or felodipine
DynaCirc, DynaCirc CR, isradipine
Cardene SR’s nicotripin
Nifedipine (Procardia XL, Adalat CC)
Nimotop (also known as Nymalize)
Solar nisoldipine
Verelan, Calan SR, Isoptin SR, Verapamil hydrochloride, Covera HS)
ALPHA-BLOCKERS
Blood Pressure Medication
Blood vessels enlarge as a result of alpha-blockers, which lowers blood pressure. Men’s enlarged prostates can also be treated with these drugs. Alpha-blockers consist of terazosin hydrochloride (Hytrin), prazosin hydrochloride (Minipress), and doxazosin mesylate (Cardura).
AGONIST ALPHA-2 RECEPTOR
One of the oldest blood pressure drugs currently in use is methyldopa, formerly known by the brand name Aldomet.
It has been around for more than 50 years.
Methyldopa lowers blood pressure by acting on the central nervous system.
Methyldopa is regarded as the first line of treatment for high blood pressure that emerges during pregnancy, despite the fact that its general use has decreased over time.
AGONISTS IN CENTRAL
Instead of directly affecting the circulatory system, certain antihypertensive medicines act on the central nervous system. Thus, central agonists frequently result in sleepiness. This class of drugs includes
guanfacine hydrochloride (Tenex) with clonidine hydrochloride (Catapres).
ADRENERGIC INHIBITORS AT THE PEripHERY
Blood Pressure Medication: The list of drugs for high blood pressure used to be incredibly short. Reserpine was one of the few medications available to treat hypertension in the 1950s. Due to its severe negative effects and pharmacological interactions, it is rarely used. Brain impulses telling blood arteries to contract are blocked by peripheral adrenergic inhibitors during work. They are typically prescribed when other high blood pressure drugs don’t work. There are several peripheral adrenergic inhibitors.
Hylorel (Guanadrel),
Ismelin (guanethidine monosulfate) and Serpasil (reserpine).
VASODILATORS
Vasodilators reduce blood pressure by relaxing the arterial wall muscles. These medications are often not taken by themselves, and in the case of Minoxidil (Loniten), only in the case of severe hypertension.
Among the vasodilators are both minoxidil (Loniten) and hydralazine (Apresoline).
We already know that taking blood pressure medications in the morning helps to control high blood pressure, but more recent research (made possible by the use of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring) indicates that taking blood pressure medications at night may have an even greater benefit.
