Your High Blood Pressure Medicine - How Does it Work?
High blood pressure medications are doctors preferred method of treating hypertension and even pre-hypertension cases.
Note that these medications are designed to "control" your blood pressure not "cure" the condition.
Why is it that with all the known bad side effects and with the American Heart Association saying drugs are not the preferred method of treatment, do doctors almost automatically dispense these prescriptions? When you look at a list of high blood pressure medications and their potential side effects you'll be asking the same question.
The obvious answer is that pharmaceuticals play an enormous part in the Western physician's education.
We assume that everything can be cured with a pill.
Eastern physicians take a more holistic look at the body and try to treat the body as a system rather than a single ailment.
Somewhere in between probably lies the best way to treat high blood pressure.
But do you know how your medication works? Thiazide Diuretic.
This is usually the starter drug of choice.
The idea is to flush out sodium and lower total fluid levels in the body reducing pressure.
The thiazide diuretic also provides a measure of protection for heart attack and stroke as well.
Literally millions of people are on this drug.
ACE Inhibitors are designed to limit the production of hormones that constrict the blood vessels.
The idea is that less constriction will mean pressure will go down.
Popular ACE Inhibitors include Capoten, Prinivil and Altace.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers block the hormone angiotensin which allows the blood vessels to widen in response to pressure on the walls.
This one actually works fairly well in cases of extreme hypertension.
Brands include Cozaar, Benicar and Diovan.
Beta Blockers interrupt nerve signals to the heart causing it to slow down and thereby reduce the pressure in the blood vessels.
This class is the third most popular prescribed.
Beta blocker brands include Lopressor, Corgard and Levatol.
Calcium Channel Blockers.
This class prevents calcium from entering the heart and blood vessel cells thereby relaxing them.
The big problem with this class is that it can work to well and cause your heart to relax to the point it stops beating.
In fact one study claims that calcium blockers are responsible for over 40,000 uneccessary heart attacks each year.
Common calcium channel blockers include Norvasc, Cardizem and Procardia.
And one is often not enough.
Doctors will test drug cocktails increasing or decreasing dosages for multiple drugs in an effort to control a patients pressure.
What this means to the patient is a life time of taking daily pills with no hope of ever being cured.
It also means a lifetime of facing potentially deadly side effects including:
It's not rocket science, it's fairly easy and it's effective.
It isn't as convenient as taking a pill everyday.
It is a change in diet and exercise that will take commitment but will provide a "cure" not just a "control".
The choice is yours.
Note that these medications are designed to "control" your blood pressure not "cure" the condition.
Why is it that with all the known bad side effects and with the American Heart Association saying drugs are not the preferred method of treatment, do doctors almost automatically dispense these prescriptions? When you look at a list of high blood pressure medications and their potential side effects you'll be asking the same question.
The obvious answer is that pharmaceuticals play an enormous part in the Western physician's education.
We assume that everything can be cured with a pill.
Eastern physicians take a more holistic look at the body and try to treat the body as a system rather than a single ailment.
Somewhere in between probably lies the best way to treat high blood pressure.
But do you know how your medication works? Thiazide Diuretic.
This is usually the starter drug of choice.
The idea is to flush out sodium and lower total fluid levels in the body reducing pressure.
The thiazide diuretic also provides a measure of protection for heart attack and stroke as well.
Literally millions of people are on this drug.
ACE Inhibitors are designed to limit the production of hormones that constrict the blood vessels.
The idea is that less constriction will mean pressure will go down.
Popular ACE Inhibitors include Capoten, Prinivil and Altace.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers block the hormone angiotensin which allows the blood vessels to widen in response to pressure on the walls.
This one actually works fairly well in cases of extreme hypertension.
Brands include Cozaar, Benicar and Diovan.
Beta Blockers interrupt nerve signals to the heart causing it to slow down and thereby reduce the pressure in the blood vessels.
This class is the third most popular prescribed.
Beta blocker brands include Lopressor, Corgard and Levatol.
Calcium Channel Blockers.
This class prevents calcium from entering the heart and blood vessel cells thereby relaxing them.
The big problem with this class is that it can work to well and cause your heart to relax to the point it stops beating.
In fact one study claims that calcium blockers are responsible for over 40,000 uneccessary heart attacks each year.
Common calcium channel blockers include Norvasc, Cardizem and Procardia.
And one is often not enough.
Doctors will test drug cocktails increasing or decreasing dosages for multiple drugs in an effort to control a patients pressure.
What this means to the patient is a life time of taking daily pills with no hope of ever being cured.
It also means a lifetime of facing potentially deadly side effects including:
- Heart attack and congestive heart failure
- Liver damage
- Impotency
- Stroke
- Chronic Fatigue
It's not rocket science, it's fairly easy and it's effective.
It isn't as convenient as taking a pill everyday.
It is a change in diet and exercise that will take commitment but will provide a "cure" not just a "control".
The choice is yours.