Blood pressure medications are life-saving drugs, but they can cause side effects which make people feel sick enough to stop taking them. According to the National Institutes of Health, most people need more than one medication to lower blood pressure. This increases the risk of side effects and worsens the problem of treatment noncompliance. If side effects occur, adjustments to treatment can be easily made by the doctor.
Significance
The good news, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is that most people who take high blood pressure medications do not experience side effects. If side effects from blood pressure medications do occur, many are well tolerated and lessen over time, says Johns Hopkins Medical Center. In addition, these side effects are often very common problems such as headaches, dizziness or an upset stomach that can be easily managed, reports the FDA.
Medication Types
The many blood pressure medications available are categorized into different classes based on how they work in the body to lower blood pressure. Each class is associated with different types of side effects. The American Heart Association reports some of the more common classes of these medications to be diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers and vasodilators.
Side Effects
The FDA states that diuretics may cause feelings of lightheadedness, more frequent urination, headaches, feeling thirsty and heartburn. Other diuretic side effects reported by the AHA include leg cramps, feeling weak or tired, increased blood sugar level and attacks of gout.
Possible side effects from beta blockers include sleeplessness, cold hands and feet, feeling tired or depressed, asthma-like symptoms and impotence, reports the AHA. According to the FDA, headache, dizziness, stomach upset and constipation or diarrhea can also occur.
ACEIs may cause skin rash, loss of taste, persistent cough and, rarely, kidney damage, according to the AHA. Other side effects reported by the FDA include dizziness, tiredness, headache, sleeplessness and rapid heartbeat.
According to the FDA, the common side effects of ARBs include sore throat, stomach upset, occasional dizziness, diarrhea, sinus troubles, and pain in the back.
Side effects of calcium channel blockers, as reported by the AHA, may include abnormal heart rhythm, ankle swelling, constipation, headache, and lightheadedness. The FDA also notes that drownsiness, headache, heartburn and a flushed feeling may occur when taking calcium channel blockers.
Alpha blockers may cause rapid heartbeat, dizziness and quick drop in blood pressure on standing, says the AHA. Also, the FDA notes that tiredness, lightheadedness, problems with seeing, swelling of the hands, legs and feet, and impotence may occur.
Possible side effects from vasodilators reported by the AHA are headaches, swelling of eye area, abnormal heart beat, joint pain, weight gain and bodily hair growth. Other side effects that can occur with these medications may be stomach ache and dizziness, according to the FDA.
Considerations for Management
According to Johns Hopkins Medical Center, side effects that persist or are bothersome can be managed by the doctor in several ways including lowering the dose, switching to another medicine, or prescribing another medication that will relieve the side effect. Also, some side effects can be handled by changing lifestyle of self-care activities such as treating headaches by bathing in hot water, using cold packs, exercising or deep breathing, says Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
Warnings
The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that taking more than one blood pressure medication can increase the risk of side effects from both medications because they can interact with each other in the body. Other factors that can worsen side effects from these medications include specific over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal supplements, foods and drinks. Use of any over-the-counter medications or any change in diet should be discussed with the doctor.
References
- National Institutes of Health: The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: High Blood Pressure Medicines to Help You
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Coping With Side Effects of Blood Pressure Medication
- American Heart Association: Types of Blood Pressure Medications
- American Academy of Family Physicians: High Blood Pressure Medicines
