Blood Pressure Medications

Blood pressure medications come in many different forms and types. Each type performs a certain function in the body and work differently for different people. This article will discuss the different types of blood pressure medications and how they work as well as the differences in them. High blood pressure (or Hypertension) is manageable. Read on.

Anti-hypertensives are a type of medication that is designed to lower blood pressure.

Diuretics

Diuretics rid the body of excess fluids and prevent excess water retention. This in turn lowers the sodium (salt) level in the body as well. A potassium supplement is often prescribed to accompany a diuretic because your potassium level could fall low while taking a diuretic.

Vasodilators

Vasodilators cause the muscle in the walls of your blood vessels (mainly the arteries) to relax. Relaxation of the vessel will cause it to dilate (widen) thus making the blood flow through those vessels much easier.

Sympathetic Nerve Inhibitors

Another group of blood pressure medications are called sympathetic nerve inhibitors. What's a sympathetic nerve? Sympathetic nerves go from your brain to all parts of the body. This includes your arteries. They cause the arteries to constrict and this RAISES your blood pressure. Sympathetic nerve inhibitors reduce blood pressure by inhibiting these nerves from constricting blood vessels.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

(ACE) inhibitors work on the chemicals in your body that are involved in regulating your blood pressure. One of these chemicals and the most important is called angiotensin II. Angiotensin II narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Angiotensin II is produced in the body by conversion of another chemical called angiotensin I. It is the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that makes this reaction possible. By blocking the action of that enzyme, the conversion to angiotensin II is interrupted and your blood pressure is lowered.

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers