The Effect of Blood Pressure Medication on Chest & Kidneys

Although blood pressure medications are an extremely useful and effective agent for regulating blood pressure, they can have serious side effects on other areas of the body. While taking blood pressure medication, it is important to be cautious of any signs or symptoms that the medication is affecting your heart or kidneys.

Function

• Blood pressure medications are given any time a person's blood pressure consistently falls outside of the normal range. Normal blood pressure is usually considered 120/80 mm Hg, although blood pressure is technically not considered "high" until it reaches 140/90 mm Hg and above. A blood pressure below 90/60 mm Hg would be considered significantly low. Medications may be prescribed for both high and low blood pressure, with a goal of returning the blood pressure to a more normal and healthy rate.

Identification

• A variety of blood pressure medications may be prescribed by your doctor to regulate your blood pressure. These medications include diuretics, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and direct vasodilators, among others. Each type of medication works in a different way to either raise or lower blood pressure, depending on the need.

Kidneys

• Because the kidneys are responsible for filtering all medications out of the body, they can become damaged by the harsh blood pressure medications. Prolonged or extensive use of these medications may lead to kidney damage and potential kidney failure.

Chest

• If blood pressure medications are taken in excess, they may cause additional problems. For example, if a patient with high blood pressure is taking too many blood pressure medications, it may cause him to develop consistently low blood pressure. Any time blood pressure fluctuates drastically like this, it causes stress on the heart and respiratory functions.

Considerations

• If you experience any serious side effects while taking blood pressure medication, it is extremely important to contact your doctor. Serious side effects include lethargy, weakness, confusion, seizures, low urine output and a fast or irregular heartbeat.