Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the force required by the heart to pump blood through the arteries is high enough to cause significant health problems. Diet and exercise are useful initial strategies to control hypertension, but if these do not work, your doctor may prescribe hypertension medications. Once you are taking these medications, close monitoring is important to avoid side effects, such as electrolyte imbalances.
What are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are electrically charged molecules that are important in the body's fluid balance. Sodium, potassium and calcium are electrolytes important in various body functions, including heart rate, conduction of signals in the nervous system, muscle contraction, and fluid balance. There are several classes of hypertension medicines, and each type has the potential to affect the concentration of these electrolytes, which can lead to serious, and sometimes life-threatening, side effects.
Hypertension Medicines
Diuretics, also known as water pills, are one of the most common hypertension medicines. According to MayoClinic.com, diuretics work by increasing the excretion of sodium and water from the body, thereby decreasing the volume of blood and the pressure needed by the heart to pump it. Calcium channel blockers work by preventing the entrance of calcium into the blood vessels, helping them relax and decreasing blood pressure. But this can also disrupt the level of sodium in the blood. ACE inhibitors also reduce blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, but can also lead to hyperkalemia, or high potassium.
Symptoms of Electrolyte Imbalance
The symptoms of electrolyte imbalance vary depending on the electrolyte involved and the severity of the abnormality. In general, initial symptoms may be mild and subtle, but become more obvious later on. According to the Merck Manuals, low sodium levels, or hyponatremia, which can be caused by diuretics, can result in brain swelling, changes in personality, irritability, confusion, lethargy and coma. Hyperkalemia caused by ACE inhibitors can result in dangerously abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. Calcium channel blockers can cause headache, facial flushing, and ankle swelling due to retained sodium and water.
Treatment
Correction of severe electrolyte imbalances requires close monitoring to prevent serious side effects. Hyponatremia requires slow correction of fluid levels via intravenous sodium infusion. Hyperkalemia requires medicines to prevent the heart from going into an abnormal rhythm and to increase the excretion of potassium from the body. Always consult your doctor prior to starting therapy with any of these medications.
