For most people who suffer from high blood pressure, one medicine is all that is needed to lower the hypertension. But some patients cannot be helped with one medication alone. According to the American Heart Association, many patients with resistant hypertension can get a better control of their condition by combining several hypertension drugs. Combination treatment means that another type of hypertension drug is added to the first medicine to make the treatment faster or more effective. The American Heart Association states that being overweight and older increase the risk for resistant hypertension significantly.
Thiazide Diuretics and Beta Blockers
Although thiazide diuretics can be used alone to treat high blood pressure, they are commonly combines with other hypertension drugs such as beta-blockers, says the Mayo Clinic. Thiazide diuretics can help the other hypertension drugs lower blood pressure even more by minimizing the sodium retention, according to a study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension in February 2002. Beta blockers are often combined with thiazide diuretics, especially in patients with a history of heart disease, says the Mayo Clinic.
Thiazide Diuretics and ACE Inhibitors/AII Blockers
According to the Mayo Clinic, ACE inhibitors block the production of a hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow. They are commonly used in patients with kidney diseases and heart diseases. The diuretic causes increased sodium loss. This activated the RAAS system that makes the effects of ACE inhibitors more potent. According to the Journal of Human Hypertension study, combining thiazides with AII antagonists have the same benefits, but All antagonists avoid some of the ACE inhibitor side effects, such as cough.
Calcium Channel Blockers and ACE Inhibitors
Calcium channel blockers relaxes the blood vessels by preventing calcium from going into the heart and blood vessel muscle cells. They are commonly prescribed with other blood pressure medicines, and they have been shown to make the action of ACE inhibitors more potent, the study says. Unfortunately, according to the National Institutes of Health, calcium channel blockers have been linked to some cancer types and risks for heart attacks.
References
- Mayo Clinic: High Blood Pressure
- American Heart Association: New Guidelines Issued for Treating Resistant Hypertension
- Journal of Human Hypertension: Fixed Dose Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Hypertension
- National Institutes of Health: NIH Statement: Calcium Channel Blockers and Breast Cancer Risk
