More in Pubmed. Some form of treatment Ground cayenne pepper be continued over Medications for controlling hypertension lifetime for good results. Taking hypertensikn than one Ground cayenne pepper Taking a combination of different hypertensiin can work hypertensionn than taking one, because they work in different ways. They block the action, not the formation, of a natural chemical that narrows blood vessels. Finding and treating the underlying cause of labile blood pressure can significantly improve the condition. These are the main ways to protect yourself against high blood pressure and its complications, including heart attack and stroke.

Medications for controlling hypertension -

All are effective in lowering blood pressure when given once, or perhaps twice daily. Adverse Effects : As discussed, these drugs do not cause irritant cough, but otherwise have a similar spectrum of adverse actions to ACEIs.

This group of drugs was introduced next after diuretics, to be used for hypertension. They act on a part of the nervous system that controls blood pressure, known as the sympathetic nervous system.

Blockade of the sympathetic nervous system reduces blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, and decreasing the rate and force of contraction of the heart. Therefore, beta blockers and sympatholytics typically slow the heart rate which can occasionally cause problems in subjects with a slow heart rate.

The actions of these agents are enhanced in patients taking diuretic drugs and therefore are a good second or third line selection in those patients who are not controlled with a diuretic and an ACEI or ARB. Unfortunately, alpha blockers have been shown to be less affective than other groups of blood pressure lowering agents in preventing the complications of heart failure and heart attacks in hypertensive subjects.

Therefore, they are not routinely used and so will not be discussed further. Beta blockers are affective in lower blood pressure and reducing its complications.

However, their popularity has diminished because of a large range of annoying adverse effects. Although these are rarely serious, they do adversely impact the quality of life of some patients, and this limits their popularity.

Nevertheless, beta blockers have been shown in many trials to prevent the probability of a recurrence in patients who have had a heart attack. Therefore, they are strongly indicated in these patients even if they cause some side effects or the patient does not have high blood pressure. Sympatholytic agents act in the brain to decrease the drive to the sympathetic nerves.

In this sense, the effects are somewhat similar to beta blockers, but because of their action in the brain, they have a different, and often rather worse, spectrum of adverse effects. Individual Agents : The following are some beta blockers that are in current use: nadolol Corgard , propranolol Inderal , atenolol Tenormin , metoprolol Toprol , carvedilol Coreg and labetalol.

There are significant differences between many of the drugs in this class. Some such as atenolol abd metoprolol work on a selective part of the sympathetic nervous system and do not have so many adverse effects regarding precipitating asthma.

Others such as carvedilol and labetalol act on additional parts of the sympathetic nervous system and are therefore more potent. The physician may change therapy from one to another beta blocker if it is insufficient or producing adverse effects.

Adverse Effects : The most frequent adverse effects of beta blockers are: slow heart rate, depression and irritability, impaired sleep, decreased exercise capacity, wheezing and precipitation of asthma, sexual dysfunction, and an increase in serum potassium hyperkalemia.

These effects are mostly dose dependent and, if encountered, may be amendable to reduction in dosage. Special Indications : Beta blockers have some additional effects that make them attractive therapy for certain of patients. Thus, they are effective in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks, their slowing of the heart can be beneficial in people who have fast and irregular heart rates or atrial fibrillation, they reduce the symptoms and bad outcome in patients who have angina chest pain on exertion due to narrowed coronary arteries , they reduce tremor of the hands in patients with essential tremor and they are protective in patients who have had a prior heart attack.

They are used increasingly in patients with congestive heart failure. Central Sympatholytic Agent : These agents include the following: clonidine Catapres , and alpha methyldopa Aldomet.

Catapres is available as a patch similar to a band-aid which provides slow release of the drug over the course of a week. This is especially beneficial in patients who have difficulty in remembering to take the medication, but often leads to allergic skin troubles after some months.

Adverse Effects of Central Sympatholytic Agent : These include many of the problems encountered with beta blockers. In addition, these agents can cause a dry mouth, difficulty in focusing the eyes, constipation, and sleepiness during the daytime.

These are very effective in lowering blood pressure. They act directly on the blood vessels to cause relaxation.

They are used sometimes as first line therapy but more often with diuretics or ACEIs or ARBs as second or third line therapy. They are especially effective in lowering blood pressure in elderly, black, obese, and diabetic patients.

They are excellent in preventing stroke but rather less effective than diuretics, ACEIs, and ARBs in preventing heart failure. Individual drugs : They fall into two categories. The first are called dihydropyridine CCBs and include amlodipine Norvasc , felodipine Plendil , nifedipine Procardia , and nicardipine Cardene.

The second, termed nondihydropyridine CCBs include two drugs, diltiazem Dilacor, Cardizem, Cartia, and Tiazac , and verapamil Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan. Both groups are effective in lowering the blood pressure but have different effects on the heart and rather different adverse effects.

Dihydropyridine drugs generally do not impair the function of the heart and do not cause much cardiac slowing but can cause swelling of the ankles. Nondihydropyridine drugs, especially verapamil, slow the heart, similar to beta blockers and cause constipation, especially in elderly subjects.

Adverse Effects : They are usually well tolerated, and most patients have few side effects. However, dihydropyridine CCBs do cause swelling of the ankles edema , which is worse in hot weather and at higher dosage.

This usually does not indicate a major problem such as heart failure but an increased passage of fluid from the plasma into the tissues of the skin.

The only way to manage edema of this type is to reduce the dose or change to another agent, although occasionally, ACEI will be beneficial. Non-dihydropyridine CCBs cause cardiac slowing. It can be beneficial in some patients with a fast heart rate or who have irregular heartbeat atrial fibrillation , but in those with a slow initial heart rate, it can cause symptoms of decreased cardiac output tiredness, lethargy, and dizziness on exertion.

This group of drugs also can cause constipation, especially in the elderly but rarely cause edema. There are a number of other drugs available to treat hypertension, but they are either rather new and expensive or suffer from some particular adverse effects and therefore are usually reserved only for exceptional circumstance, for example, when patients remain hypertensive despite receiving 3 or 4 other drugs from established categories described above.

This relaxes the blood vessels, which allows blood to flow more freely. Other substances that lower blood pressure may cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure when taken alongside alpha-blockers.

These substances include:. A fall in blood pressure when taking these drugs can lead to faintness and dizziness and a higher risk of falls, which can lead to fractures. Similar to alpha-blockers, these drugs lower blood pressure by preventing the release of norepinephrine.

Methyldopa is an alpha-2 receptor agonist. Alpha-2 receptor agonists can cause :. A doctor may prescribe a drug with both alpha- and beta-blocker activity.

The alpha-blocker activity decreases the narrowing of blood vessels, while the beta-blocker activity slows the heart rate, causing it to pump blood less forcefully.

Doctors may give combined alpha- and beta-blockers in an intravenous IV drip to people experiencing a hypertensive crisis. This is when blood pressure rises rapidly to a dangerously high level. One example of this type of drug is carvedilol Coreg.

Some types of combined alpha- and beta-blockers may interact with the following medications:. Central agonists lower blood pressure by preventing the brain from sending signals to the nervous system to increase heart rate and constrict blood vessels.

Central agonists may increase the symptoms of:. Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors PAIs block the neurotransmitters in the brain that cause blood vessels to constrict. Examples of this type of drug are:.

There are several types of PAI, and the side effects differ between types. Possible side effects include :. Anyone who wishes to stop taking tricyclic antidepressants while using a PAI should speak with a doctor. Stopping these medications too quickly while taking certain PAIs can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Some types of PAIs may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions. These conditions include:. Vasodilators, or blood vessel dilators, relax and widen the walls of the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow through them more easily. Direct-acting vasodilators specifically target the arteries.

Two types of direct-acting vasodilators are hydralazine hydrochloride Apresoline and minoxidil Loniten. Minoxidil is the more potent of the two drugs. Doctors usually prescribe it to people with persistent and severe high blood pressure. Hydralazine hydrochloride may cause the following side effects, which usually subside within a few weeks of beginning treatment:.

Taking erectile dysfunction medications in combination with a vasodilator can cause a life threatening drop in blood pressure. Depending on the type, vasodilators may not be suitable during pregnancy or for people with the following conditions:. Some blood pressure medications are not safe to take during pregnancy.

Some medications may be suitable during specific trimesters, while others pose risks throughout pregnancy. People who are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant should talk with their doctor about treatment options for high blood pressure. There are many types of blood pressure medications.

A doctor will consider the underlying cause of high blood pressure, as well as other health conditions and medications. Anyone experiencing long-term or intolerable side effects from a blood pressure medication should speak with a doctor, who may prescribe an alternative.

High blood pressure hypertension often has no symptoms but, it can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other life threatening…. A few ways have been shown scientifically to reduce blood pressure.

The first, and perhaps most important, is to stay physically active. Losing weight also can be important in a lot of different people. Limiting alcohol, reducing sodium intake, and increasing dietary potassium intake can all help. There's not one best medication for the treatment of hypertension for everyone.

Because an individual's historical and present medical conditions must be considered. Additionally, every person has a unique physiology.

Assessing how certain physiological forces may be present to contribute to the hypertension in an individual allows for a rational approach to medication choice. Antihypertensive medications are grouped by class.

Each class of medication differs from the other classes by the way it lowers blood pressure. For instance, diuretics, no matter the type, act to reduce the body's total content of salt and water. This leads to reduction in plasma volume within the blood vessels and consequently a lower blood pressure.

Calcium channel blockers reduce the relative constriction of blood vessels. This reduced vasoconstriction also promotes a lower blood pressure.

Other classes of antihypertensive medication act in their own ways. Considering your health conditions, physiology, and how each medication works, your doctor can advise the safest and most effective medication for you.

Following the correction of blood pressure or the institution of certain blood pressure medications, it's pretty common to see changes in the markers for kidney function on blood tests. However, small changes in these markers, which reflects small changes in kidney filtration performance shouldn't necessarily be interpreted as absolute evidence of kidney harm.

Your doctor can interpret changes in laboratory tests following any change in medication. Keep an open dialogue with your medical team about your goals and personal preferences. Communication, trust and collaboration are key to long-term success managing your blood pressure.

Never hesitate to ask your medical team any questions or concerns you have. Being informed makes all the difference. Thanks for your time and we wish you well. To diagnose high blood pressure, your health care provider examines you and asks questions about your medical history and any symptoms.

Your provider listens to your heart using a device called a stethoscope. Your blood pressure is checked using a cuff, usually placed around your arm.

It's important that the cuff fits. If it's too big or too small, blood pressure readings can vary. The cuff is inflated using a small hand pump or a machine.

A blood pressure reading measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats top number, called systolic pressure and between heartbeats bottom number, called diastolic pressure. To measure blood pressure, an inflatable cuff is usually placed around the arm. A machine or small hand pump is used to inflate the cuff.

In this image, a machine records the blood pressure reading. This is called an automated blood pressure measurement. The first time your blood pressure is checked, it should be measured in both arms to see if there's a difference.

After that, the arm with the higher reading should be used. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury mm Hg.

A blood pressure reading has two numbers. A diagnosis of high blood pressure is usually based on the average of two or more readings taken on separate occasions. Blood pressure is grouped according to how high it is.

This is called staging. Staging helps guide treatment. Sometimes the bottom blood pressure reading is normal less than 80 mm Hg but the top number is high.

This is called isolated systolic hypertension. It's a common type of high blood pressure in people older than If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend tests to check for a cause.

Your health care provider may ask you to regularly check your blood pressure at home. Home monitoring is a good way to keep track of your blood pressure. It helps your care providers know if your medicine is working or if your condition is getting worse.

For the most reliable blood pressure measurement, the American Heart Association recommends using a monitor with a cuff that goes around your upper arm, when available. Devices that measure your blood pressure at your wrist or finger aren't recommended by the American Heart Association because they can provide less reliable results.

Changing your lifestyle can help control and manage high blood pressure. Your health care provider may recommend that you make lifestyle changes including:.

Sometimes lifestyle changes aren't enough to treat high blood pressure. If they don't help, your provider may recommend medicine to lower your blood pressure. The type of medicine used to treat hypertension depends on your overall health and how high your blood pressure is.

Two or more blood pressure drugs often work better than one. It can take some time to find the medicine or combination of medicines that works best for you. When taking blood pressure medicine, it's important to know your goal blood pressure level.

The ideal blood pressure goal can vary with age and health conditions, particularly if you're older than age Water pills diuretics. These drugs help remove sodium and water from the body. They are often the first medicines used to treat high blood pressure. There are different classes of diuretics, including thiazide, loop and potassium sparing.

Which one your provider recommends depends on your blood pressure measurements and other health conditions, such as kidney disease or heart failure. Diuretics commonly used to treat blood pressure include chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide Microzide and others.

A common side effect of diuretics is increased urination. Urinating a lot can reduce potassium levels. A good balance of potassium is necessary to help the heart beat correctly. If you have low potassium hypokalemia , your provider may recommend a potassium-sparing diuretic that contains triamterene.

Calcium channel blockers. These drugs help relax the muscles of the blood vessels. Some slow your heart rate. They include amlodipine Norvasc , diltiazem Cardizem, Tiazac, others and others. Calcium channel blockers may work better for older people and Black people than do angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors alone.

Don't eat or drink grapefruit products when taking calcium channel blockers. Grapefruit increases blood levels of certain calcium channel blockers, which can be dangerous.

Talk to your provider or pharmacist if you're concerned about interactions. If you're having trouble reaching your blood pressure goal with combinations of the above medicines, your provider may prescribe:.

Beta blockers. These medicines reduce the workload on the heart and widen the blood vessels. This helps the heart beat slower and with less force. Beta blockers include atenolol Tenormin , metoprolol Lopressor, Toprol-XL, Kapspargo sprinkle and others. Beta blockers aren't usually recommended as the only medicine prescribed.

They may work best when combined with other blood pressure drugs. Renin inhibitors. Aliskiren Tekturna slows the production of renin, an enzyme produced by the kidneys that starts a chain of chemical steps that increases blood pressure.

Due to a risk of serious complications, including stroke, you shouldn't take aliskiren with ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Always take blood pressure medicines as prescribed. Never skip a dose or abruptly stop taking blood pressure medicines.

Suddenly stopping certain ones, such as beta blockers, can cause a sharp increase in blood pressure called rebound hypertension. If you skip doses because of cost, side effects or forgetfulness, talk to your care provider about solutions.

Don't change your treatment without your provider's guidance. Having resistant hypertension doesn't mean your blood pressure will never get lower. If you and your provider can determine the cause, a more effective treatment plan can be created.

If you have high blood pressure and are pregnant, discuss with your care providers how to control blood pressure during your pregnancy. Researchers have been studying the use of heat to destroy specific nerves in the kidney that may play a role in resistant hypertension.

The method is called renal denervation. Early studies showed some benefit. But more-robust studies found that it doesn't significantly lower blood pressure in people with resistant hypertension. More research is underway to determine what role, if any, this therapy may have in treating hypertension.

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. A commitment to a healthy lifestyle can help prevent and manage high blood pressure.

Try these heart-healthy strategies:. Get more exercise. Regular exercise keeps the body healthy. It can lower blood pressure, ease stress, manage weight and reduce the risk of chronic health conditions.

Aim to get at least minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of the two. If you have high blood pressure, consistent moderate- to high-intensity workouts can lower your top blood pressure reading by about 11 mm Hg and the bottom number by about 5 mm Hg.

Diet and exercise are the best ways to lower blood pressure. But some supplements are promoted as heart healthy. These supplements include:.

Researchers are also studying whether vitamin D can reduce blood pressure, but evidence is conflicting. More research is needed. Talk to your care provider before adding any supplements to your blood pressure treatment.

Some can interact with medicines, causing harmful side effects that could be life-threatening. Deep breathing or mindfulness are alterative medicine techniques that can help you relax. These practices may temporarily reduce blood pressure. High blood pressure isn't something that you can treat and then ignore.

It's a condition that requires regular health checkups. Some things you can do to help manage the condition are:. If you think you may have high blood pressure, make an appointment with your health care provider for a blood pressure test.

You might want to wear a short-sleeved shirt to your appointment so it's easier to place the blood pressure cuff around your arm. No special preparations are necessary for a blood pressure test. To get an accurate reading, avoid caffeine, exercise and tobacco for at least 30 minutes before the test.

Because some medicines can raise blood pressure, bring a list of all medicines, vitamins and other supplements you take and their doses to your medical appointment.

Don't stop taking any medicines without your provider's advice. Appointments can be brief. Because there's often a lot to discuss, it's a good idea to be prepared for your appointment.

Here's some information to help you get ready. Preparing a list of questions can help you and your provider make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For high blood pressure, some basic questions to ask your provider include:.

Your health care provider is likely to ask you questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on.

Your provider may ask:. It's never too early to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods and getting more exercise. These are the main ways to protect yourself against high blood pressure and its complications, including heart attack and stroke.

On this page. Self care. Alternative medicine. Coping and support. Preparing for your appointment. Hypertension FAQs. Leslie Thomas, M. Show Transcript. What is the best way to measure my blood pressure at home?

What could be causing my blood pressure to be quite erratic? Should I restrict salt to reduce my blood pressure? How can I lower my blood pressure without medication? What is the best medication to take for hypertension? Are certain blood pressure medications harmful to my kidneys?

How can I be the best partner to my medical team? Blood pressure measurement. Top number, called systolic pressure. The first, or upper, number measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. Bottom number, called diastolic pressure.

The second, or lower, number measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats. Stage 1 hypertension. The top number is between and mm Hg or the bottom number is between 80 and 89 mm Hg. Stage 2 hypertension.

The top number is mm Hg or higher or the bottom number is 90 mm Hg or higher. Tests If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend tests to check for a cause.

Ambulatory monitoring. A longer blood pressure monitoring test may be done to check blood pressure at regular times over six or 24 hours. This is called ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

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