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Blood pressure lowering drugs are usually used when a program of diet and exercise has failed to lower your blood pressure satisfactorily or to regulate your pressure while you are making the required lifestyle changes to get the desired results. The range of blood pressure reducing drugs available today is astounding and, as many of the presently available drugs are frequently used in combination, selecting the right medication or combination of drugs presents your doctor with something of a headache. Here however is an overview of the various different groups of blood pressure reducing medications presently in day-to-day use. Diuretics The first line of attack are diuretics which are simply designed to remove excess fluid from the body and, more importantly as far as blood pressure is concerned, to lower salt levels. Frequently used diuretics include Midamor, Lozol, Hygroton, Lasix, Bumex, Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Diuril and Aldactone. Some diuretic lower the levels of potassium in the body and can lead to weakness, tiredness and leg crfamoing. This can usually be effectively countered by eating foods that contain potassium or by taking a potassium supplement in either liquid or tablet form. Diuretics can also produce an increase in blood sugar levels and a change of drug or changes to diet, insulin or oral anti-diabetic medication may be needed for diabetics. ACE Inhibitors Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors act to enlarge the blood vessels and so reduce resistance and pressure in these vessels. As a consequence the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the body. Frequently used ACE inhibitors include Lotensin, Univasc, Monopril, Vasotec, Prinivil, Mavik, Capoten, Altace, Accupril, Aceon and Zestril. ACE inhibitors can cause a skin rash, a chronic hacking cough and in very rare cases kidney damage. AT-2 Receptor Antagonists Angiotensin-2 (AT-2) receptor antagonists work in much the same ways as ACE inhibitors although they have the benefit for many people of not producing the hacking cough frequently seen with taking ACE inhibitors. Commonly used AT-2 receptor antagonists include Atacand, Avapro, Cozaar, Micardis and Teveten. There are generally very few side effects seen with AT-2 receptor antagonists although in a few people they can produce sporadic dizziness. Beta Blockers Beta blockers act to lower blood pressure by decreasing both the heart rate and output. Commonly used beta blockers include Sectral, Kerlone, Toprol XL, Blocadren, Cartrol, Corgard, Betapace, Tenormin, Lopressor, Inderal, Zebeta and Ziac. A number of beta blockers can cause insomnia, tiredness, depression, the symptoms of asthma, cold hands and feet and in very rare cases can produce impotence. Calcium Channel Blockers Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure by impeding the flow of calcium into the heart and blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers include what is generally agreed to be the most prescribed blood pressure medication in the world - Norvasc. Other common calcium blockers include Lotrel, Plendil, Adalat, Tiazac, Isoptin, Nimotop, Procardia, Sular, Calan, Vascor, Cardizem and Verelan. The side effects differ widely from one calcium blocker to the next but a few commonly seen side effects include headache, palpitations, constipation, dizziness and swollen ankles. As you can see there is a very large number of drugs available for reducing blood pressure and when you consider that these are frequently used together by combining for instance ACE inhibitors and diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers or AT-2 receptor antagonists and diuretics then the range of possible treatments is almost too high to count. Of course on the one hand this is good news as it means that physicians are able to tailor treatment to the exact needs of each individual. However, on the other hand it also makes selecting the right treatment somewhat hard.
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TheBloodPressureCenter.com provides information on blood pressure medications including information about side effects of Norvasc blood pressure medicine
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