What is medication for high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is nothing to laugh about…unless you’re a robot without emotions. But since you are not, let’s try to make light of the situation, shall we? Alright then, let’s dive in and figure out what medication for high blood pressure actually does.

“Is it like drinking magic elixir or something?”

First off, no. Sorry to burst your bubble. It isn’t some magical drink brought down from Mount Olympus by the gods themselves to keep our heart rates at bay (although that would be pretty cool).

Medication for high blood pressure comes in all shapes and sizes; pills, tablets, capsules…you name it! They work by either relaxing your blood vessels or decreasing the amount of fluid in your body – this results in lower blood pressure levels (exciting stuff!).

Now onto the more technical side of things…

The Types of Drugs Prescribed:

1) ACE Inhibitors

ACE inhibitors, or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors if you want to get fancy with it (but why would you?), block certain enzymes that cause constriction of your blood vessels. By blocking these pesky enzymes from narrowing them down too much too quickly, our little soldier pumps away happily lowering our BP.

2) Diuretics

Next up we have diuretics aka “water pills.” These drugs will make ya WEE faster than an excited pup on his first trip outside after being cooped up inside all winter long (SPLASH!).

They increase urine production which decreases fluid retention throughout the body as well as lowers sodium intake resulting in less bloating.

Side note: Always remember peeing excessivley doesn’t translate into weight loss so don’t get any funny ideas.

3) Calcium Channel Blockers

These guys (calcium channel blockers) are responsible for relaxing our blood vessels so they won’t constrict as much. By blocking calcium from entering these channels the muscles in your heart will be able to contract more efficiently thus reducing blood pressure.

4) Beta Blockers

Lastly, beta blockers work by decreasing the workload of our heart and slowing down its rhythm. They do this by blocking specific stress hormones that increase our heart rate.

Side note: As tempting as it may seem – please do not simulate a drama scene you’ve seen on TV while taking these bad boys; CUE MUSIC.dun dun Dun DUNNNN”

“What kind of side effects can I expect if I start taking them?”

As with most drugs people react differently depending on their own personal life situation and genetics making each person’s experience undoubtedly unique. However there certain things we well prepare you for:

Common Side Effects

  • Dizzy Spells
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea/constipation
  • Frequent urination (See diuretics)
  • Weakness/Fatigue

Other Fun Facts

More serious side effects include fainting, chest pain or shortness of breath (to name but a few). In any case, please inform your local health care provider ASAP and raise concerns over anything remotely concerning (they’re there to help after all!).

“Are there any precautions one should take?”

Well obviously… but let us make sure everyone is aware regardless!

Precautions

Firstly, ensure that you disclose an accurate medical history (think surgeries/current medications) when seeing your doctor before initially being prescribed meds.

Also keep in mind…

  • Don’t skip dosages
  • Read labels thoroughly
  • Ask questions about dosage increases/decreases beforehand
    (both big no-no’s)

Furthermore, staying healthy isn’t rocket science. Incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle (such as diet and excercise) can work wonders in maintaining a relaxed healthy blood pressure! (OMG WHO KNEW?!)

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