Different Types Blood Pressure Medications

When entering the doctor's office or the hospital emergency room, taking the patient's blood pressure is one of the first things done by the nurse. It is critical to maintain a safe blood pressure level in order to prevent other medical conditions, such as kidney damage or a heart attack, from occurring. There are dozens of blood pressure medications with varying characteristics that a doctor can choose from, but the best thing a patient can do to prevent the need to be on blood pressure medication is to maintain a healthy weight and avoiding smoking.

Diuretics

• A doctor's first inclination is to prescribe a diuretic pill, which causes the patient to go to the bathroom more frequently to rid the body of excess water and sodium. In some cases, this may be all that is needed to lower the blood pressure. Some common types of diuretics are Amiloride, Bumetanide, Chlorothiazide and Chlorthalidone. In other cases, doctors prescribe a diuretic in combination with other blood pressure medications to try to lower the blood pressure faster and more effectively.

Beta Blockers

• Beta blockers lower blood pressure by limiting nerve signals sent to the heart. A decreased heart rate results in a lowered blood pressure. Some common types of beta blockers include Metoprolol, Nadolol and Atenolol.

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Calcium channel blockers work to lower blood pressure by stopping calcium from affecting the heart and blood vessels. Some common types of calcium blockers include Amlodipine, Diltiazem and Nifedipine.

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers

• Angiotensin II receptor blockers work to lower blood pressure by widening the blood vessels and stopping angiotensin, a hormone, from entering. Some common types of antiotensin II receptor blockers include Losartan, Candesartan and Valsartan.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

• ACE inhibitors work to lower blood pressure by stopping the production of angiotensin, which narrows the blood vessels. Some common types of antiotensin II receptor blockers include Captopril, Lisinopril and Ramipril.

Other Medications

• A doctor will slowly increase the dosage of a medication and try various combinations of medications until favorable results are produced with as little side effects as possible. If none of these combinations prove effective, a doctor can also prescribe an alpha-blocker, central-acting agent or vasodilator. Taking medications for low blood pressure can be a little tricky since low blood pressure can often be a symptom of a much larger problem. Many medications prescribed for low blood pressure are used to treat other conditions as well and can be accompanied by some severe side effects. Some common low blood pressure medications include Ephedrine, Midodrine, Hawthorn, Norepinephrine Bitartrate and Yohimbine.