Below are the most common types of blood pressure medication.
Beta blockers
These can help prevent angina and they may also reduce the risk of another heart attack if you have already had one. Symptoms of heart failure may be reduced with these drugs and some drugs in this group can help control an abnormal heart rhythm. They are also used as an additional medication to treat high blood pressure, where good control has not been achieved on two or more other medications.
Drugs in this group: acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, carvedilol, celiprolol, esmolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, nebivolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propanolol, sotalol, timolol.
Diuretics
These are also known as 'water tablets' as they help the kidneys to pass more salt and water in to the urine, therefore making you need to urinate more often. Diuretics also help lower your blood pressure.
Drugs in this group: there are three main types of diuretic:
- Thiazides: bendroflumethiazide, chlortalidone, cyclopenthiazide, indapamide, metolazone, xipamide.
- Loop diuretics: bumetanide, furosemide, torasemide.
- Potassium-sparing diuretics: amiloride, triamterene
and aldosterone antagonists: spironolactone, eplerenone.
Side effects of groups 1 and 2 include: increase in blood glucose levels; low levels of potassium (which can cause heart rhythm irregularities).
ACE inhibitors (Angiotensin converting enzyme)
These help to lower blood pressure and can help to delay the onset and progression of kidney damage (nephropathy). They work by blocking the action of an enzyme which is responsible for controlling blood pressure. By doing this, the constriction of blood vessels which increases blood pressure is relaxed, widening the arteries and, in turn, reducing blood pressure. They are used in preventing and treating heart failure and may also be prescribed to people who have had a heart attack. You should have regular blood tests to check salt and potassium levels and kidney function.
Drugs in this group: captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fosinopril, imidapril, moexipril, lisinopril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril, trandolapril.
Angiotensin II antagonists
These work similarly to ACE inhibitors and may often be used if you experience the dry cough associated with the ACE inhibitors. You should have regular blood tests to check your kidney function, salt and potassium levels.
Drugs in this group: candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, olmesartan, telmisartan, valsartan, losartan.
Alpha-blockers
These work by relaxing the blood vessels and allowing blood to flow through more easily. These are useful as an alternative treatment when some other medications cannot be used, or as an addition to other blood pressure treatments, when the blood pressure is more difficult to control.
Drugs in this group: doxazosin, indoramin, prazosin, terazosin.
Calcium channel blockers
These cause the arteries to relax and widen which allows blood to flow through more easily and reduces blood pressure. They also have an effect on the heart rate, whereby some will increase it and others decrease it. They are used to treat angina and high blood pressure.
Drugs in this group: amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, lacidipine, lercanidipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil.