How do Antihypertensive Drugs Work
By: CraigTotal Views: 505, Word Count: 552,
As the name suggests, antihypertensive is a type of drug that is used to treat hypertension or high blood pressure. Each drug in this category has a specific way of action to lower the pressure. Let us focus on how antihypertensive dugs work.
How do Antihypertensive Drugs Work?
· It is known that reduction of the blood pressure by 5 mmHg can help to lower the risk of stroke by 34% and that of ischemic by 21%.
· Successful reduction in blood pressure helps to avoid heart failure, and mortality. The problem with hypertension can be solved with the help of different classes of antihypertensive drugs. It has the ability to lower blood pressure by using different ways of working.
· Treatments for hypertension depend on its type of hypertension. In most cases, it is known to be primary hypertension which is not caused by other medical conditions. This primary hypertension can be controlled by using combination of antihypertensive drugs.
· In this way, controlling primary hypertension is known to be a lifelong commitment.
· Secondary hypertension may take place due to some other problems like kidney disease, narrowing of arteries, or tumors of the adrenal glands. This can also be solved by taking antihypertensive drugs.
There are many drugs available in the market for treating hypertension. They differ from each other on the basis of their working principle. The major categories and working principle of these drugs are listed as below:
- Drugs work as Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These drugs are captopril (Capoten), benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), quinapril (Accupril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), etc. These ACE inhibitors work by preventing the entrance of a chemical angiotensin I in the blood, which in turn avoids the conversion of component into salt and water retention in the body. This drug helps to make blood vessels relax which can lead to reduced blood pressure.
- Drug with Angiotensin II receptor antagonists e.g. losartan (Cozaar) and losartan with hydrochlorothiazide (Hyzaar) act at a later step similar as that of ACE inhibitors affect. They lower the blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels of the body.
- Drugs which are Beta blockers like metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), atenolol (Tenormin), propranolol (Inderal), and timolol (Blocadren) act on the body's response to certain nerve impulses. As a result, it decreases the force along with rate of the heart's contractions. This results into lowered blood pressure.
- Blood vessel dilators drugs such as hydralazine (Apresoline) and minoxidil (Loniten) lowers blood pressure by relaxing the muscles present in the blood vessel walls.
- Calcium channel blocker drugs like diltiazem (Cardizem), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), isradipine (DynaCirc), amlopidine (Norvasc), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, and Verelan) slows the movement of calcium present into the blood vessel cells, leading to a relaxed blood vessel and lowered blood pressure.
- Diuretics like chlorthalidone (Hygroton) and metolazone (Zaroxolyn) control the blood pressure by eliminating overloaded salt and water from the patient’s body.
- Antihypertensive drugs which are nerve blockers such as clonidine (Catapres) control the nerve impulses along specific nerve pathways that allow the blood vessels to relax, resulting in reduced pressure.
From this, we are now familiar with the answer of how does antihypertensive drugs work.
About the Author
Craig Brown has practiced as a Doctor of Medicine in New Zealand for about 20 years. Although he is retired now, he continues to share his medical knowledge and experience with readers through his writings.
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