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Blood pressure medication
Understanding your blood pressure medication is important. Staying with it
and taking your treatment regularly is crucial if you want to lessen the risks of
heart attack or stroke.
Over the years there have been many different types of blood pressure
medication but nowadays there are five main categories. Each category has
several different drugs and those drugs tend to have different trade names
depending on the company who makes them - all leading to confusion amongst
the poor patients who have to take them on a daily basis.
The five main types of blood pressure medications are:
- angiotensin converting enzyme (or ACE) inhibitors
- angiotensin receptor blocker drugs
- Calcium channel blocking drugs
- Diuretics
- Beta blockers
In recent years ACE inhibitor drugs have become used much more commonly
and beta blockers are used less often than before
Blood Pressure Medication
The above five groups of blood pressure medications are often used in combination. For example, doctors
commonly use an ACE inhibitor combined with a diuretic in the same patient. ACE inhibitors combined with
calcium channel blocking drugs are also commonly used together.
By law all blood pressure medications must be provided with a patient information leaflet in the box the
tablets are packaged in. These leaflets are often very well written - but are sometimes so comprehensive
that they can worry or frighten the reader. Side effects are quite common with blood pressure medications
but they are often mild - if you are concerned then you should speak to your doctor to see if a medication
change is needed.
Common ACE inhibitor drug names include: captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fisinopril, lisinopril, perindopril,
quinapril, ramipril, and trandolapril. The names of ACE inhibitor drugs always end in "april"
Common ARB drug names include: candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, losartan, olmesartan, telmisartan
and valsartan. The names of ARB drugs always end in "artan"
Common calcium channel blocker drugs include: amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, lacidipine,
lercanidipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nisoldipine, and verapamil
Diuretics are also called "water tablets" and some common ones include: chlorothiazide,
bendroflumethiazide, chlorthalidone, cyclopenthiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, and indapamide
Common beta blockers are: acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propanaolol,
sotalol, and timolol. The names of beta blockers always end in "olol"
If you are concerned about your blood pressure medication or worried about side effects then please
discuss it with your doctor. Don't rely on the internet as your only source of medical information.
commonly use an ACE inhibitor combined with a diuretic in the same patient. ACE inhibitors combined with
calcium channel blocking drugs are also commonly used together.
By law all blood pressure medications must be provided with a patient information leaflet in the box the
tablets are packaged in. These leaflets are often very well written - but are sometimes so comprehensive
that they can worry or frighten the reader. Side effects are quite common with blood pressure medications
but they are often mild - if you are concerned then you should speak to your doctor to see if a medication
change is needed.
Common ACE inhibitor drug names include: captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fisinopril, lisinopril, perindopril,
quinapril, ramipril, and trandolapril. The names of ACE inhibitor drugs always end in "april"
Common ARB drug names include: candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, losartan, olmesartan, telmisartan
and valsartan. The names of ARB drugs always end in "artan"
Common calcium channel blocker drugs include: amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, lacidipine,
lercanidipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nisoldipine, and verapamil
Diuretics are also called "water tablets" and some common ones include: chlorothiazide,
bendroflumethiazide, chlorthalidone, cyclopenthiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, and indapamide
Common beta blockers are: acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propanaolol,
sotalol, and timolol. The names of beta blockers always end in "olol"
If you are concerned about your blood pressure medication or worried about side effects then please
discuss it with your doctor. Don't rely on the internet as your only source of medical information.
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