High blood pressure drugs Doctors prefer hypertension and even prehypertension. Please note that these drugs are designed to "control" your blood pressure, and not "cure" the condition. Why do all the famous bad side effects and the American Heart Association say that drugs are not the preferred treatment, do doctors almost automatically distribute these prescriptions? When you look at the list of high blood pressure drugs and their potential side effects, you will be asking the same question.
The obvious answer is that pharmaceuticals play a terrible role in the education of a western doctor. We understand that everything can be cured with a pill. Eastern doctors take a more holistic view of the body and try to treat the body as a system, not just a disease. Somewhere in between, the best way to treat high blood pressure probably lies.
But do you know how your medicine works?
Thiazide diuretic. This is usually the starting drug of choice. The idea is to wash the sodium and reduce the overall levels of body fluids that reduce pressure. A thiazide diuretic also provides a measure of protection against heart attack and stroke. Literally millions of people are on this drug.
ACE inhibitors are designed to limit the production of hormones that constrict blood vessels. The idea is that less compression will mean that the pressure will drop. Popular ACE inhibitors include Capoten, Prineville and Altas.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers block the hormone angiotensin, which allows blood vessels to expand in response to pressure on the walls. It really works quite well in cases of extreme hypertension. Brands include Cozaar, Benicar and Diovan.
Beta-blockers interrupt nerve signals in the heart, causing it to slow down and thereby reduce the pressure in the blood vessels. This class is the third most prescribed. Beta blockers brands include Lopressor, Corgard and Levatol.
Calcium channel blockers. This class accelerates the entry of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels, thereby relaxing them. The big problem with this class is that it can work well and make your heart relax to the point that it stops beating. In fact, one study claims that calcium blockers are responsible for more than 40,000 untreated heart attacks every year. Common calcium channel blockers are Norvasc, Cardizem and Procardia.
And one is often not enough. Doctors will test cocktails for medications, increasing or decreasing doses for several drugs to control patient pressure. What this means for the patient is the time of life when you take daily pills with no hope of cure.
This also means that potentially dangerous side effects occur throughout life, including:
- Heart attack and heart failure
- Liver damage
- Impotence
- Stroke
- Chronic fatigue
Your choice.
