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A List Of 11 Blood Pressure Medications
Dozens of different medications can help treat high blood pressure (hypertension). These medications are called antihypertensives and are divided into many different categories, each of which works differently.
High blood pressure can lead to many serious health problems, such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. Treating high blood pressure early is important in preventing these and other problems.
With so many medication options available, finding the best one for you may take some time and patience. A doctor will work with you to find the best treatment plan for you, which may include one or more medications.
The following chart summarizes the major classes of blood pressure medications, times they're likely to be prescribed, and their side effects.
Diuretics are some of the most commonly used drugs for treating high blood pressure. They help the kidneys get rid of excess water and sodium, or salt. This reduces the volume of blood that needs to pass through your blood vessels, which lowers your blood pressure.
There are three major types of diuretics:
Discover everything you need to know about diuretics, their types, and specific examples.
In certain situations, your body makes hormones called catecholamines. These hormones can bind to parts of cells called alpha receptors. When this occurs, your blood vessels narrow, and your heart beats faster and with more force. These actions cause your blood pressure to rise.
Alpha-blockers work by blocking catecholamines from binding to alpha receptors. As a result, blood can flow through the blood vessels more freely, and your heart beats normally. This helps lower your blood pressure.
Alpha-blockers include doxazosin (Cardura, Cardura XL), prazosin (Minipress), and terazosin (Hytrin).
These medications perform the opposite function of alpha-blockers. A blocker (antagonist) is a drug that binds to the receptor, preventing it from triggering any responses.
An agonist, on the other hand, is a drug that binds to the same receptor and stimulates it in a way that's similar to that of the primary chemical. The primary chemicals, in this case, are alpha-1 or alpha-2 proteins. This calms the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to less production of adrenaline and lower blood pressure.
An example of an alpha-2 agonist is methyldopa. Examples of alpha-1 agonists are phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed).
Another type of alpha receptor agonist is sometimes classified separately as central agonists.
Central agonist medications keep the brain from sending messages to the nervous system telling it to release catecholamines. As a result, the heart doesn't pump as hard, and blood flows more easily, lowering blood pressure.
Methyldopa (Aldomet) is also considered a central agonist, as are clonidine (Catapres) and guanfacine (Tenex).
Beta-blockers work by blocking the actions of hormones in your body that stimulate your heart. This allows your heart to beat with less speed and force, leading to a decrease in blood pressure.
Beta-blockers can further be divided as follows:
In addition, some beta-blockers have a combined effect. Combined alpha- and beta-blockers block the binding of catecholamine hormones to both alpha- and beta-receptors.
Discover everything you need to know about beta-blockers, their types, and specific examples.
ACE inhibitors keep the body from making a hormone called angiotensin II, which causes blood vessels to narrow. These medications lower blood pressure by helping constricted blood vessels expand to let more blood through. ACE inhibitors aren't safe to take during pregnancy.
Discover everything you need to know about ACE inhibitors, their types, and specific examples.
This class of drugs also protects the blood vessels from angiotensin II. In order to tighten blood vessels, angiotensin II must bind with a receptor site. ARBs prevent that from happening. As a result, blood pressure is lowered.
Like ACE inhibitors, ARBs aren't safe to take during pregnancy.
Discover everything you need to know about ARBs, their types, and specific examples.
To move, all muscles need calcium to flow in and out of the muscle cells. Calcium channel blockers help block calcium from entering the smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This makes the heart beat with less force and helps blood vessels relax. As a result, blood pressure decreases.
There are two categories of calcium channel blockers:
Discover everything you need to know about calcium channel blockers, their types, and specific examples.
Vasodilators relax the muscles in the walls of blood vessels, especially in small arteries called arterioles. This widens the blood vessels and allows blood to flow through them more easily. As a result, blood pressure falls.
Discover everything you need to know about vasodilators, their types, and specific examples.
Aldosterone receptor antagonistswork by blocking a chemical called aldosterone. This action reduces the amount of fluid your body retains, which helps lower your blood pressure.
Aldosterone receptor antagonists include eplerenone (Inspra) and spironolactone (Aldactone).
Another type of blood pressure medication is called a direct renin inhibitor (DRI). DRIs block a chemical in your body called renin. This action helps widen your blood vessels, which lowers your blood pressure.
The only type of DRI that's currently available in the United States is aliskiren (Tekturna).
Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors stop neurotransmitters in the brain from conveying a signal that causes the heart muscle to constrict. This helps lower your blood pressure.
Examples include guanadrel (Hylorel), guanethidine monosulfate (Ismelin), and reserpine (Serpasil).
There are times when you may need to take more than one type of blood pressure medication. Most commonly, this occurs when:
Can exercise help lower my high blood pressure?Regular exercise strengthens the heart and makes it work more efficiently, leading to lower blood pressure. That said, speak with a doctor about making lifestyle changes to help manage your blood pressure. These include reducing your salt intake, quitting smoking if you smoke, and limiting alcohol consumption.
What is the most common blood pressure medication?Thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics are often prescribed as the first-line treatment for high blood pressure.
Specifically, the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medications are the ACE inhibitor lisinopril (Prinivil and Zestril), the DHP calcium channel blocker amlodipine (Norvasc), the beta-blocker metoprolol (Lopressor), and the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorothiazide.
What is the best blood pressure medication with the least side effects?The best blood pressure medication with the fewest side effects will be different for every person, as there are many factors that help determine this.
That said, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, thiazide diuretics, and DHP calcium channel blockers tend to be prescribed in many cases. Each hypertensive medication comes with some chance of side effects, but each may affect different people differently.
High blood pressure is a serious condition that requires treatment to prevent more severe health problems.
Don't worry if you're confused by all of your medication options. A doctor can tell you which drugs might work best for you. Together, you can put together a treatment plan to manage your blood pressure.
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Doctor: Know The Dangers Of High Blood Pressure
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Doctors at the University of Michigan Health-West are raising awareness about the importance of keeping your blood pressure in check this High Blood Pressure Education Month.
Dr. Ronald Grifka says it's important to understand the impact of high blood pressure on overall health. Potential consequences include heart disease, stroke, kidney problems and vision loss.
Grifka also said it's important to be aware of risk factors such as age, family history and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
He says some preventative measures include adopting a balanced diet with reduced sodium intake, engaging in regular physical activity and managing stress effectively.
For the full conversation with Dr. Ronald Grifka, watch the video in the player above.
17 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure — And Which Foods To Avoid
According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost half of all Americans have hypertension, or high blood pressure.
However, only a small proportion are managing it, which is concerning considering that high blood pressure poses a significant risk to overall health. Uncontrolled hypertension is a direct risk factor for heart attack and stroke, worsening diabetes, and even dementia.
In addition to medication, your diet plays an important role in controlling high blood pressure.
Studies show that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is one of the best dietary approaches to follow to lower blood pressure. The DASH diet was designed for the specific goal of management of high blood pressure and has been studied extensively over the past two decades. It includes low-sodium dietary approaches with a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, poultry and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds. Some studies show that adherence to the diet may be just as effective as medication in controlling blood pressure.
In addition to the DASH diet protocol, the following foods have been found to effectively reduce blood pressure.
Foods that lower blood pressureAvocadoPotassium is a mineral found in plants and directly benefits blood pressure. A 2023 study found that consuming avocados, a fruit high in potassium, five or more times per week led to a 17% decrease in hypertension. That's because potassium can mitigate the effects of sodium, sending sodium out of the body through urine instead of staying in the body to damage vessels.
BeetsA study in the Journal of Hypertension found that consuming about 1 cup of nitrate-rich beet juice could help reduce blood pressure. Nitrate converts to nitric oxide, which in turn helps improve the function of blood vessels by widening the vessels allowing greater blood flow.
Beet-Citrus Blast Smoothie by Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN
LemonsMultiple studies have linked lemons and lemon juice to improvements in hypertension. Benefits are derived from minerals in lemons and citric acid found in all citrus fruits.
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Dark chocolateDark chocolate has been found to help reduce blood pressure via its high content of flavonoids. A 2021 study assessing flavonoid intake and its impact on gut microbiome found that participants with the highest consumption of flavonoid-rich foods such as dark chocolate (as well as red wine, berries and tea) had the lowest systolic blood pressure.
CoffeeA 2023 study in the journal Nutrients found that three or more cups of coffee a day may help lower blood pressure. The study found that these benefits are most likely due to the compounds found in the coffee bean. However, other studies have associated moderate (2 cups or more) coffee consumption with an increased risk of cardiac-related death in individuals with severe hypertension (the risk was not seen in individuals who drank one or fewer cups daily). If you love coffee, consider your personal risk factors before diving into multiple cups a day. Determining how well you metabolize caffeine (a nutrigenomics test can help with this) and assessing how severe your hypertension is may help guide how much coffee your body can handle safely.
AlmondsA 2014 study compared two groups of individuals. One group consumed their typical diet, while another added 50 grams (about ½ cup) of almonds a day for one month. After the study, the almond-eating group had greater amounts of antioxidants in the blood, better blood flow and lower blood pressure. In addition to almonds, pistachio, and walnut consumption has also been associated with lower blood pressure.
Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Cherries and Ginger by Anna Thomas
CeleryStudies show that celery consumption may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress leading to a reduction in cardiac risk factors, such as high blood pressure.
SpinachSimilar to beets, spinach is a nitrate powerhouse. Studies show that just 1 cup of leafy greens daily, like spinach (as well as kale, swiss chard, arugula, collard greens and bok choy), can significantly reduce the risk for heart disease. These studies often cite improvements in blood pressure as a critical component.
ApplesLike dark chocolate, apples (specifically their peels) are abundant in flavonoids, which have been shown to improve blood pressure. Studies show that the more deeply hued the peel is, the more flavonoids the apple contains.
Wild salmonLean proteins play a role in reducing blood pressure, and wild salmon is one of the best options to consider due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids. One study found that having 3 grams of omega 3's a day (approximately a 4-5 ounce piece of salmon) could help lower blood pressure, and having more, the authors noted, may provide even more benefit for someone with hypertension. Other sources of omega 3's include chia and flax seeds and walnuts.
Lemon-Garlic Salmon with Asparagus by Jess Dang
Extra virgin olive oilA 2020 study in the journal Nutrients referred to olive oil as " the optimal fat choice in the management protocols for hypertension in both healthy and cardiovascular disease patients." Olive oil is high in polyphenols and oleic acid, which may help reduce overall risk factors, like blood pressure, for heart disease.
YogurtA 2021 study found that yogurt could help reduce blood pressure due to its high concentration of micronutrients calcium, magnesium and potassium, which are all associated with a lower risk of hypertension.
Pumpkin seedsThis fall snack should be a year-round treat if you have high blood pressure. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, a mineral found to help in controlling blood pressure. A 2019 animal study found that rats with 4% pumpkin seeds or pulp had 20% lower blood pressure than rats on the control diet.
Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seed Yogurt Parfait by Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN
CinnamonAdd some blood pressure-friendly ingredients to your spice cabinet. A 2021 randomized controlled trial found significant reductions in systolic blood pressure when 1500 mg of cinnamon was added to the diet for 90 days. In addition to cinnamon, other roots like turmeric and ginger may also play a beneficial role in blood pressure management.
OreganoOregano is an excellent addition to eggs, sauces, dressings and poultry. It's also great for your blood pressure. A 2021 study analyzed herbs and spices combined with blood pressure response. The study found that individuals that consumed the most herbs and spices had lower blood pressure readings 24 hours later.
GarlicLove garlic? So do your arterial walls. One study found that individuals with lower blood pressure levels were more likely to have garlic in their diet.
Greek Sheet Pan Chicken by Pamela Salzman
BlueberriesThe compound that gives blueberries their deep hue is the same one demonstrated in studies to lower blood pressure. Authors noted that the benefits to blood pressure were seen just two hours after eating blueberries.
Foods to avoid for high blood pressureLimiting certain foods may also help in controlling high blood pressure.
First, individuals with hypertension are recommended to limit sodium intake to about 1500 mg or less per day. That's the equivalent of a little over ½ tsp. You can manage this by limiting your intake of processed and ultra-processed foods and processed red meat products.
You can also look for low-sodium versions of canned foods such as soup, cheese, bread, tomato juice, pickles, condiments, frozen foods and deli meats. You should also limit consumption of products with added sugar, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, baked desserts and candy. Finally, since even moderate alcohol consumption was found to be a significant risk factor for hypertension, you may want to limit it or avoid it altogether.
In addition to diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management and weight loss, as well as limiting alcohol and quitting smoking, can also go a long way in controlling high blood pressure.
This article was originally published on TODAY.Com
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