The most common blood pressure medicines are ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and diuretics.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels. Common examples are enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril.
The strongest body of evidence indicates that for most patients with hypertension, thiazide diuretics are the best proven first-line treatment in reducing morbidity and mortality.
A new drug called Baxdrostat has been shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure (hypertension) in patients who may not respond to current treatments for the condition, according to results from a phase II trial.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), and beta blockers are recommended as first-choice medications in some younger adults with high blood pressure. They are all effective at lowering blood pressure, but differ in the ways they work.
The bottom line
Many medications used in the past to lower blood pressure may not be the best choice for lowering your blood pressure today. The four classes of medications recommended by the most recent guidelines and research are thiazide diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers.
Low-dose thiazide diuretics remain first-line therapy for older patients. Beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, and calcium channel blockers are second-line medications that should be selected based on comorbidities and risk factors.
Possible options include: angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II antagonists, calcium channel blockers or betablockers.
In addition to considering the effectiveness and potential side effects, they will consider your general health, sex, and age; the severity of your high blood pressure; any additional, underlying medical conditions; and whether there is a reason to avoid any particular drugs.
While the class of blood pressure-lowering medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may be prescribed more commonly, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) work just as well and may cause fewer side effects.
Some people have pseudoresistant (seemingly resistant) hypertension, which is caused by other factors, such as conflicting medications or white coat hypertension (high blood pressure only in the doctor's office). Pseudoresistant hypertension is important to diagnose and treat.
In about 40% of resistant hypertension cases, medications aren't working because they are not being taken correctly. In order for the drugs to work, they must be taken every day at the correct dose, and the correct number of times per day. If you have trouble taking your medicine correctly, talk to your doctor.
Blood pressure is mostly a silent disease
Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms. Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure.
Elderly blood pressure range for men and women
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) updated their guidelines in 2017 to recommend men and women who are 65 or older aim for a blood pressure lower than 130/80 mm Hg.
If you have high blood pressure, you may wonder if medication is necessary to bring the numbers down. But lifestyle plays a vital role in treating high blood pressure. Controlling blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle might prevent, delay or reduce the need for medication.
Do not make changes to your blood pressure medication on your own. It is critical you meet with your doctor. Abruptly stopping any medication used to treat high blood pressure could be very dangerous. Your blood pressure may rise, putting you at risk for a heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening conditions.
Magnesium intake of 500 mg/d to 1000 mg/d may reduce blood pressure (BP) as much as 5.6/2.8 mm Hg. However, clinical studies have a wide range of BP reduction, with some showing no change in BP.
Never make changes to your blood pressure medication on your own, however. Talk to your health care provider first.
Blood Pressure Cuff Placement
If the cuff is too small, it can add 2 to 10 points to your bp measurement. Be sure to roll up your sleeve for a blood pressure test and also let your doctor know if the cuff feels too tight around your arm.
Spironolactone is the most effective fourth medication for treating RHTN in patients already on treatment with triple regimens that include an ACE inhibitor or ARB, amlodipine, and a thiazide-like diuretic.