Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by blood on the artery walls as the heart beats. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition in which this force becomes too high causing damaging effects to the body. It can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke or kidney failure. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, one in three adults in the United States has hypertension, but many treatment options do exist to lower blood pressure.
Diuretics
Also referred to as "water pills," diuretics are the oldest and often the first choice medication for the treatment of hypertension. The drug acts on the kidneys to eliminate unneeded sodium and water from the body through the urine. This decreases blood volume so the heart has less blood to pump which lowers blood pressure. There are several types of diuretics including, loop, thiazide, and potassium-sparing, which have different mechanisms of action, but thiazides prove the most effective for lowering blood pressure. Thiazide diuretics prevent sodium from re-entering circulation by acting on sodium-chloride transporters in the kidney tubules. Potassium depletion is one negative to diuretics so potassium supplementation may be prescribed while on diuretics.
ACE Inhibitors
Angiotensin-converting enzyme or ACE inhibitors are effective blood pressure lowering medications that produce fewer side effects compared to other hypertension medications, according to the AARP. In a natural process, angiotensin-converting enzyme or ACE converts the proteins angiotensin I into angiotensin II, which constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. ACE inhibitors block this conversion by deactivating ACE, thus relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. Often, ACE inhibitors are combined with thiazide diuretics for more effective hypertension treatment, especially in African Americans, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
Like ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) work on the protein angiotensin II. However, they differ in that ARBs block the binding of angiotensin II to muscles and vessels, not preventing formation of it from angiotensin I. Regardless of their mechanism of action; they both lower blood pressure and prove helpful for people with coronary artery disease, heart failure and kidney failure.
Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers lower blood pressure by opening up blood vessels and decreasing the workload of the heart. The drugs work by blocking the actions of the hormone epinephrine, also referred to as adrenaline, by preventing binding to its receptors beta 1 and beta 2. This slows nerve impulses and causes the heart to beat slower and with less force causing a reduction in blood pressure. There are both selective and non-selective beta-blockers. Selective beta-blockers primarily target beta 1 receptors and non-selective target both receptors equally.
Calcium-Channel Blockers
Many calcium-channel blocker medications exist for the treatment of hypertension. These drugs lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and weakening the contraction of the heart. This is accomplished by the drugs ability to slow down the movement of calcium into the smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. Calcium-channel blockers are available in both short and long-acting forms which allow for faster relief or long-lasting therapeutic effects, respectively.
