Hypertension is a menace of modern stressful life styles. It is a state where the blood flows in the blood vessels at more than normal pressure (140/80 mm.Hg). If the blood pressure remains high continuously, it results in damage to many parts of the body like kidneys, eyes, the heart and peripheral blood vessels.

Once somebody has a high blood pressure, there is no root cure available for it. Treatment is mostly by life style measures and anti hypertensive drugs, i.e. drugs to reduce high blood pressure. A person with high blood pressure has to take these drugs throughout his or her life. Therefore it is important that a person should know about the doses and possible side effects of these drugs.

These days, electronic blood pressure instruments are available which enable an individual to monitor his blood pressure at home. With the aid of this, a person can monitor his blood pressure and also adjust the dose of his daily anti hypertensive medication. This will help in optimal control of blood pressure and also prevent side effects of drugs.

Some drugs like alpha and beta blockers act on the sympathetic nervous system (part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for response of the body to stress). These drugs suppress the activity of the sympathetic nervous system thus reducing stress and anxiety and also the blood pressure. Atenolol and propranolol are the commonly used drugs of this group. These drugs reduce the pulse rate and the dose should be reduced if the pulse rate becomes very slow. Sometimes these drugs can cause sexual impotence.

Anti hypertensive drugs like methyl dopa reduce blood pressure by acting on the autonomic center of the brain. They are very safe drugs. But there is potential risk of rebound hypertension with this drug, i.e. once a dose is missed, blood pressure can shoot up.

Captopril and enalapril are among the drugs included in the group called angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and reduce blood pressure by action on the kidney. Drugs of this group are very useful for controlling cardiac failure associated with hypertension. Individuals using any drug of this group can develop dry cough as a side effect. This chronic cough becomes very annoying to the person, for which they seek medical treatment and undergo many tests. But the cough improves only when the drug is stopped.

Another group of anti hypertensive drugs acting on the kidneys is angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs, e.g., Losartan). This is useful for those who need ACE inhibitors but are unable to tolerate it.

Calcium channel blockers (e.g., Nifedipine, amlodepine) act by blocking the influx of calcium ions into the heart which have an important role to play in contraction of the heart muscle. One can develop swelling over the feet, severe headache or palpitations as side effects of these medicines.

Hydrallazine is a drug that diminishes blood pressure by relaxing the muscles of blood vessels. Due to this effect, blood flows smoothly through the blood vessels in the body.

It is useful for those patients who suffer from high blood pressure and kidney failure.It can cause headache and sensation of flushing at times.

If an individual is aware of the side effects of these drugs, he can know immediately if any problem develops after using any of these drugs. He can inform his doctor, who can change the medication.

All anti-hypertensive drugs can bring the blood pressure to below normal levels. This low blood pressure is manifested in the form of sense of giddiness, if severe one can develop shock and die. If somebody on anti-hypertensive medicines feels giddy on sitting from a lying position or standing up, he should reduce the dose of the drug immediately.

A hypertensive patient can have a good healthy life, with correct use of anti hypertensive drugs.

Pande is a specialist Internal medicine –Ruhengeri Hospital

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