Coping With the Inconvenience of Medication

Blood pressure medication is a lifetime companion for individuals suffering from high blood pressure, sometimes prescribed as a single drug alone, but more often in combination, according to what your doctor determines is best for your individual situation.

You must take the medication that your doctor orders to keep your blood pressure under control. Most people believe that after lowering their blood pressure, they can simply stop blood pressure medication, reduce the dosage or take it once in a while. This conduct only leads to a new sudden rise in the blood pressure that ends up with you starting over again.

Staying healthy even with high blood pressure is possible if you take your blood pressure medication exactly as prescribed, to not only keep your blood pressure lower, but also diminish your risk of cardiovascular disease. After having your blood pressure checked and finding it is normal again, do not believe it will remain at this level forever.

Lifestyle changes contribute to lowering your blood pressure, however you need to discuss with your doctor any possibility to have a therapy without blood pressure medication. The doctor will explain to you the treatment plan, possible side effects, if any, as well as the long-term benefits you can get from it.

Among the numerous medications available to treat hypertension, your doctor may recommend one drug or the combination of several, because most people respond differently to blood pressure medication. These are the most common prescribed:

Diuretics, including chlorthalidone Hygroton, hydrochlorothiazide Esidrix, Indapamide Lozol, furosemide Lasix, Metolazone, Hydrodiuril, Microzide, Mykrox, and Zaroxolyn. Otherwise doctor may prescribe Potassium-sparing diuretics, such as amiloride hydrochloride Midamar, triamterene Dyrenium and spironolactone Aldactone.

Beta-blockers such as propranolol hydrochloride Inderal, timolol maleate Blocadren, acebutolol Sectral, atenolol Tenormin, betaxolol Kerlone, carteolol hydrochloride Cartrol, metoprolol tartrate Lopressor, metoprolol succinate Toprol-XL, nadolol Corgard, penbutolol sulfate Levatol, pindolol Visken, or bisoprolol fumarate Zebeta,

Any ACE inhibitors among these: captopril Capoten, benazepril hydrochloride Lotensin, enalapril maleate Vasotec, fosinopril sodium Monopril, lisinopril Prinivel, Zestril, moexipril Univasc, quinapril hydrochloride Accupril, ramipril Altace and trandolapril Mavik, or other blood pressure medication within this class such as Angiotensin II receptor blockers.

Doctors may also prescribe Calcium channel blockers, including Isoptin SR, Verelan, felodipine Plendil, nicardipine Cardene SR, amlodipine besylate Norvasc, diltiazem hydrochloride Cardizem CD, Cardizem SR, Dilacor XR, Tiazac, isradipine DynaCirc, DynaCirc CR, nifedipine Adalat CC, Procardia XL, nisoldipine Sular, or Covera HS.

Although there are many other blood pressure medications including combined alpha and beta-blockers, central agonists, peripheral adrenergic inhibitors, blood vessel dilators, not to mention the wide array of herbal medications and other holistic remedies to control and treat high blood pressure.