Hypertension is the medical terminology for high blood pressure. This is a condition where your blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mm/dl. When you have hypertension, blood is pumping through your arteries at an elevated pace. This can raise your risk of having a stroke, heart attack or complete heart failure. Medicines can be prescribed by your doctor to help lower your reading.
Diuretics
Sodium is a nutrient that is utilized in the body for nerve transmission and to regulate blood volume. When you take in too much sodium, you can develop water retention. Your heart then has to work harder to help flush this through the body, causing your blood pressure to rise. Diuretics are hypertension drugs that help flush excess water and sodium from your body. Examples of these include chlorthalidone, metolazone and furosemide. If you are over 80 years of age, a medicine called indapamide is often prescribed.
Beta Blockers
The higher force with which your heart beats is what raises your risk of suffering a heart attack. Beta blockers are medicines that help this situation in two ways. They cause your heart to beat with less force and they also open your blood vessels. Examples of beta blockers are acebutolol, metoprolol tartrate, penbutolol sulfate, betaxolol and nadolol.
ACE Inhibitirs
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors help block the formation of a chemical that causes the arteries next to the heart to become narrow. This causes the blood vessels to become more relaxed and your blood pressure to fall. Examples of ACE inhibitors include captopril, trandolapril, quinapril hydrochloride and fosinopril sodium. According to the Mayo Clinic, ACE inhibitors may be especially important in treating high blood pressure in people with coronary artery disease, heart failure or kidney failure.
Renin Inhibitors
Renin is an enzyme that is produced in your kidneys. Once it is released, it can increase your blood pressure by setting off a series of chemical steps. Aliskiren is a medicine that helps slow down the production of renin which stops the chemical reaction from taking place.
Muscle Relaxers
Muscles in the arterial walls are responsible for the constricting and opening of arteries. Vasodilators are medicines that keep the arteries opened by relaxing the muscles. Hydralazine hydrocholoride and minoxidil are examples of these. Calcium channel blockers are another type of medicine that involve blood vessel muscles. They help relax them and they also keep your heart rate lowered. Examples of these include felodipine, amlodipine besylate, verapamil hydrochloride and nicardipine.
