High Blood Pressure : Antihypertensive Medications

If blood pressure is too high, is rising sharply. Risk of heart disease The heart has more resistance in the pump and the pressure on the artery walls is increasing. If it takes a long time, there may be artery disease onset. High blood pressure treatment is necessary, even though you may feel not sick. High blood pressure is treated by avoiding risk factors and antihypertensives. Avoidable risk factors include smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy food. Bad for the blood pressure is especially high in salt.

There are many different types of antihypertensives. They are often prescribed in combination. Usually, the combination of hypertensives with diuretics.

Same Problem, Different Approach 

There are many different types of antihypertensives. The main groups are: beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and RAS inhibitors. They fight the same problem, but in a different way.

A variety is important because the sensitivity hypertensives from person to person may vary significantly. Operation (and updating) of anti-hypertensive drugs is extensively tested in clinical trials, so there is much known about who the different medications are most effective. So working beta blockers and RAS inhibitors generally better in youth, and calcium channel blockers and diuretics better in the elderly.

High Blood Pressure : Antihypertensive Medications


Water Pills

Water pills cause the body loses moisture and salts. The circulatory system hasless blood to process, whereby over time the blood pressure drops.

Beta Blockers

The Scottish physician James Black discovered fifty years ago the principle of beta blockers by to study its effect in rats. The first beta blocker that Black wasdeveloped, propranolol. In 1988 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on the beta blockers. Beta blockers block a chemical mechanism that controls the functioning of the heart and blood vessels via the autonomic nervous system.The latter ensures that unconscious body processes are led. For example, heart rate, breathing and digestion.

The autonomic nervous system the heart may lead to greater activity by stresshormones such as adrenaline to bring into the bloodstream. Muscle cells in the heart taking those hormones on by linking them to certain proteins on their protective jacket, the cell membrane. That protein capture, as it were, thehormones on – you call them receptors.

Stress hormones are on the cell membrane of muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels captured by the so-called beta receptors. Beta blockers are able to blockthose receptors. As a result, the stress hormone can do its job, the heart calmer is correct and lowers blood pressure.

Beta blockers block the recording of stress hormones. The drug was discovered by paying attention to the effect of beta blockers on rats. Because of their calming effect on the heart rhythm are beta blockers also used as medicineagainst cardiac arrhythmias. Medications called antiarrhythmics for heart rhythmdisorders.

Substance names of beta blockers include: acebutolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, carvedilol, celiprolol, labetalol, metoprolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propranolol, sotalol, nebivolol. In the pharmacy, the beta blockers usually a brand name that is different from the substance name, but the name is on the package insert.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Muscle cells need calcium for contraction. Calcium channel blockers block calcium absorption, and thus have a spierverslappend effect. The force of the heart andblood pressure drops. Also on the arteries, which muscle tissue in their walls, have a relaxing effect calcium channel blockers. The arteries dilate itself, reducing blood pressure decreases.

An antagonist is a literally a against worker, in this case a counter worker of calcium. Like beta blockers do they do that by editing the cell membrane. Closeoff certain channels in the cell membrane Calcium channel blockers, leaving nomore calcium through it can.
A calcium deficiency on the heart also has another effect: it can conduct the electrical barbed less well. Calcium channel blockers also belong therefore to the family of antiarrhythmics, the medications for arrhythmias.

Substance names of calcium channel blockers are: amlodipine, felodipine,isradipine, lacidipine, barnidipine, diltiazem, nicardipine, nifedipine, nitrendipine,nisoldipine, lercanidipine, verapamil. Calcium channel blockers are sold under their brand name, but the substance name stands on the package insert.

RAS inhibitors

The body regulates blood pressure in different ways, including through a system that revolves around the hormone angiotensin, the so-called race, an abbreviation of Renin-Angiotensin system.
The variety provides a stable blood pressure by blood pressure at various pointsto register. If that is too low, a signal to the kidneys where then the protein Reninis created. Renin provides for the production of the hormone angiotensin I, but in this form it can still do nothing for the blood pressure hormone. In order to makeit usable it is to be changed to Angiotensin II. That happens with the protein ACE, which stands for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (protein that angiotensinchanges). Angiotensin II increases blood pressure, inter alia through the blood vessels to constrict.

ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists 

There are two types of drugs that affect the RAS: ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists.

  • ACE inhibitors inhibit the action of the ACE protein, thus reducing angiotensin II enters the blood stream and the blood vessels to dilate. As a result, blood pressure falls. 
  • Angiotensin II antagonists block the receptors for angiotensin II, so that the hormone can not do. His work vasoconstrictive The result is that the blood vessels relax and blood pressure decreases. 
  • Substance Names of ACE inhibitors include benazepril, captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fosinopril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril, trandolapril, zofenopril. 
  • Substance Names of angiotensin II antagonists: candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, losartan, telmisartan, valsartan, olmesartan. 
  • ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists are sold under a brand name which usually differs from the substance name. The generic name is found on the leaflet.

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