Hypertension, characterized by high blood pressure with a reading over 140/90, can be treated with a variety of different types of medications. Left untreated, the disease can cause complications including heart disease, stroke, brain damage, kidney failure, vision loss and blood vessel damage, so treatment to lower blood pressure is vital.
Alpha Blockers
Alpha blockers act on the nerves leading to blood vessels, reducing the nerve impulses there, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This relaxes the vessels, lowering blood pressure. Alpha blockers include the drugs doxazosin mesylate and prazosin hydrochloride.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers work by blocking adrenaline and slowing the heart rate, decreasing the amount of blood flowing out of the heart. As a result, the vessels do not experience as much pressure on their walls. In people of African descent, beta blockers may prove more effective if used in conjunction with a diuretic, the Mayo Clinic website MayoClinic.com explains. Some beta blockers prescribed by doctors include acebutolol, bisoprolol and metoprolol.
Alpha-Beta Blockers
Alpha-Beta blockers combine the activity of alpha blockers with that of beta blockers, simultaneously reducing nerve impulse to blood vessels and slowing the heart rate to reduce blood pressure, explains the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Labetalol hydrochloride, under the brand name Normodyne, is an example of an alpha-beta blocker.
Angiotensin II antagonists
Angiotensin II antagonists, also known as angiotensin receptor blockers or ARBs, dilate blood vessels by preventing the enzyme angiotensin II from constricting them, as explained by the American Heart Association. Losartan and valsartan are two angiotensin II antagonists.
ACE Inhibitors
ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, help blood pressure by expanding the blood vessels, explains MayoClinic.com. This happens because ACE inhibitors stop the formation of the enzyme angiotensin II. ACE inhibitors should not be used by pregnant women. Some commonly prescribed ACE inhibitors include benazepril, fosinopril and moexipril.
Calcium channel blockers
Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure because they block calcium from entering the blood vessel cells or heart cells, which relaxes the vessels or causes the heart to beat more slowly, depending on the specific medication. Grapefruit may boost blood levels of calcium channel blockers, so people on this type of medication should avoid consuming grapefruit in order to prevent side effects, according to MayoClinic.com. Calcium channel blockers on the market include diltiazem, felodipine and verapamil.
Vasodilators
Vasodilators act on the muscles in the walls of blood vessels, relaxing them and lowering blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Medications that are vasodilators include hydralazine and minoxidil.
Diuretics
Diuretics help the kidneys flush water and salt from the bloodstream, reducing the amount of fluid that blood vessels need to transport, according to the American Heart Association. The diuretic indapamide, sold under the brand name Lozol, is particularly effective at reducing blood pressure in people over age 80, explains MayoClinic.com. Other diuretics include amiloride, chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide.
Renin Inhibitors
Renin inhibitors block the enzyme renin. Renin normally sets off a chemical cascade that raises blood pressure, so blocking it can stop this process at the source, explains MayoClinic.com. An example of this type of drug is Aliskiren, which goes under the brand name Tekturna.
Central Alpha Antagonists
Central alpha antagonists, also called central acting agents, act directly on the brain, preventing it from signaling the blood vessels to constrict, according to MayoClinic.com. This leaves blood vessels open and lowers blood pressure. Examples of this type of drug include clonidine hydrochloride and methyldopa.
