High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. A condition of high blood pressure creates more risk of heart strokes, heart failure along with various other disorders that may threaten your life. Ask any doctor and he will tell you how to maintain your normal blood pressure with the help of various medicines. But unfortunately none of these medicines function effectively when taken individually. Some are very strong while others have slow effect. So the best possible way out to treat blood pressure is a combination of all these.

Combination medication means the use of various medicines together to lower blood pressure. The medicines used to lower blood pressure fall broadly in four main categories. They are: Angiotensin Receptors Blockers (ARBs), Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors, Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs) and Diuretics.

But before discussing about these group of medicines, there is something very important for you to understand. Why do you get abnormal blood pressure? What triggers the blood flow to get high? The answer to this question is enzyme Angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a chemical that contracts the muscles around the blood vessels. As the muscles contract the blood vessels starts narrowing down. As a result the pressure of the blood in the vessels increases, thereby causing high blood pressure or what is also called hypertension.

So to counter the effects of the chemical Angiotensin, some external chemicals are required, which come in the from of these medicines. They are:

ACE: ACE inhibitors slow down the activity of the Angiotensin II enzyme. The blood vessels enlarges, thereby reducing the blood pressure. Some of the common ACE inhibitors used are are Accupril, Altace, Zestril and Mavik.

ARB: As its name suggests, Angiotensin Receptors Blockers, block the action of the enzyme Angiotensin in the blood. Some of the commonly used ARBs are Atacand, Hyzaar, Benicar, Micardis and Diovan.

CCB: Calcium after entering the muscle cells of the arteries and the heart inhibits the process of muscle contraction, thereby increasing the pressure of the blood flow. These Calcium Channel Blockers function by blocking the entry of calcium in the muscles of the arteries and heart. Some of the commonly prescribed CCBs are Tiazac, Adalat and Cardizem LA.

Diuretics: They are used as a treatment against the accumulation of excess fluid in the body. The problem of excess fluid can take place due to medical conditions like heart failure, liver and kidney problems. Diuretics reduce the amount of fluid in the blood, thereby lowering the blood pressure. To get better results diuretics are often prescribed in combination with some of the other medicines used to control blood pressure. Some of the commonly used diuretics are Dyazide, Avalide and Benicar HCT.

Although these medicines help you to maintain your normal blood pressure, but there are times when they fail to perform their function in your body. So follow all the do-s and don't-s by your doctor with heart.