Classes of Anti-Hypertensive Drugs

• The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, lists the following classes of medication as helpful in the treatment of high blood pressure: diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), alpha-blockers, alpha-beta-blockers, nervous system inhibitors and vasodilators. The first five are the most widely prescribed, according to the AHA.
  
  

Diuretics and Beta-Blockers

• Diuretics, often called "water pills," work in the kidneys to flush excess water and sodium from the body, thus easing external pressure on the blood vessels and allowing blood pressure to drop. Widely prescribed diuretics include chlorothiazide (Diuril), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix and Hydrodiuril) and spironolactone (Aldactone). Beta-blockers decrease the rate of nerve impulses to the blood vessels and heart, which allows the heart to beat slower and with less force. Popular beta-blockers include atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor and Toprol XL), propranolol (Inderal) and sotalol (Betapace).
  
  

ACE Inhibitors

• ACE inhibitors work by dilating blood vessels, allowing for more relaxed blood flow and lower blood pressure. These drugs are often prescribed for diabetics because the medication has fewer side effects and is safer for the kidneys and has no effect on blood glucose levels. Popular ACE inhibitors include benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil and Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), ramipril (Altace) and trandolapril (Mavik).
  
  

Angiotensin-2 Receptor Antagonists

• This class of hypertensive drugs works in much the same way as ACE inhibitors, except that it interferes with the function of angiotensin-2 rather than lowering the levels of that chemical in the body. Commonly prescribed medications of this class include candesartan (Atacand), irbesartan (Avapro), telmisartan (Micardis) and valsartan (Diovan).
  
  

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Medications in this class of hypertensive drugs interrupt the flow of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. They can help lower blood pressure and are also prescribed to treat angina pectoris (chest pain) and abnormal heart rhythms. Among the CCBs most widely prescribed are amlodipine (Norvasc and Lotrel), bepridil (Vascor), diltiazem (Cardizem and Tiazac), nifedipine (Adalat and Procardia) and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin and Verelan).