Various Types of Blood Pressure Medications

There are a number of medications on the market used to treat blood pressure. They are classified according to the mechanism they employ to control blood pressure. Doctors take many factors into consideration before prescribing--they may prescribe one medicine or use a combination to stabilize blood pressure.

Diuretics

• Diuretics are usually the first type of medicine that doctors prescribe. There are three different types of diuretics available, and they work by flushing excess water and sodium from the body, hence lowering blood pressure.

Beta-Blockers

• Beta-blockers lower blood pressure by reducing the nerve impulses to the heart.
  This in turn lowers the heart rate, the volume of blood the heart pumps out and the force with which it pumps.

ACE Inhibitors

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors work by blocking the formation of the hormone angiotensin, which causes the blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure to increase. ACE inhibitors often are used in people who have had heart attacks or suffer from asthma or diabetes.

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers

• Angiotensin receptor blockers prevent the hormone angiotensin, which causes blood vessels to narrow, from working on the arteries by blocking the angiotensin receptor on the arteries.

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Calcium channel blockers prevent calcium from entering the heart and muscle cells of the blood vessels, causing the vessels to relax and for blood pressure to decrease.

Vasodilators

• Vasodilators are not commonly used to lower blood pressure, because they may cause a significant drop in blood pressure. These medicines, including minioxidil and clonidine, work by causing the smooth muscle of the blood vessels to relax and dilate, allowing blood to flow effortlessly.