Antihypertensives:Antihypertensive are a class of drugs that are used in medicine and pharmacology to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). There are many classes of antihypertensives, which—by varying means—act by lowering blood pressure. Evidence suggests that reduction of the blood pressure by 5-6 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke by 40%, of coronary heart disease by 15-20%, and reduces the likelihood of dementia, heart failure, and mortality from cardiovascular disease.Anti-Hypertensive Drugs are used to help control blood pressure in people whose blood pressure is too high. Blood pressure is a measurement of the force with which blood moves through the bodys system of blood vessels. Although everyones blood pressure goes up and down in the course of a typical day-getting higher when they are active and going down when they sleep. Some people have blood pressure that stays high all the time. This condition is known as hypertension. Hypertension is not the same as nervous tension. People who have high blood pressure are not necessarily tense, high-strung or nervous. They may not even be aware of their condition.
Being aware of high blood pressure and doing something to control it are extremely important, however. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to diseases of the heart and arteries, kidney damage, or stroke, and can shorten life expectancy.
Treatments for high blood pressure depend on the type of hypertension. Most cases of high blood pressure are called Essential or Primary Hypertension, meaning that the high blood pressure is not caused by some other medical condition. For most people with primary hypertension, it is difficult to figure out the exact cause of the problem. However, such hypertension usually can be controlled by some combination of anti-hypertensive drugs and changes in daily habits (such as diet, exercise, and weight control).
In people with Secondary Hypertension, the high blood pressure may be due to medical problems such as kidney disease, narrowing of certain arteries, or tumors of the adrenal glands. Correcting these problems often cures the high blood pressure, and no further treatment is needed.
Controlling primary hypertension, on the other hand, is usually a life-long commitment. Although people may be able to reduce the amount of medicine they take as their blood pressure improves, they usually must continue taking it for the rest of their lives.
Description
Many different types of drugs are used, alone or in combination with other drugs, to treat high blood pressure. The major categories are: · - Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors: ACE inhibitors work by preventing a chemical in the blood, angiotensin I, from being converted into a substance that increases salt and water retention in the body. These drugs also make blood vessels relax, which further reduces blood pressure. ·
- Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists: These drugs act at a later step in the same process that ACE inhibitors affect. Like ACE inhibitors, they lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels. ·
- Beta blockers: Beta blockers affect the bodys response to certain nerve impulses. This, in turn, decreases the force and rate of the hearts contractions, which lowers blood pressure.
- Blood Vessel Dilators (Vasodilators): These drugs lower blood pressure by relaxing muscles in the blood vessel walls. ·
- Calcium Channel Blockers: Drugs in this group slow the movement of calcium into the cells of blood vessels. This relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. ·
- Diuretics: These drugs control blood pressure by eliminating excess salt and water from the body. ·
- Nerve Blockers: These drugs control nerve impulses along certain nerve pathways. This allows blood vessels to relax and lowers blood pressure.
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