Factors that Effect Hypertension
Before you begin taking any prescribed medication for high blood pressure, it is important to keep certain guidelines in mind.
If there are unexplained complications to high blood pressure, other drugs may also be prescribed.
It is helpful to know the names of the blood pressure medication taken and how they are supposed to work to help you.
For instance, it is advisable to know about the brand name, generic name and side effects, and so on. Are you taking a name-brand medication or a generic brand?
Keep the list of the medication handy.
The medications need to be taken at the same time every day. Any change in the schedule should be only done after consultation with the doctor.
Even if there is an improvement in condition, stopping medication can lead to extreme deterioration.
In the event you should change to a different doctor, the new doctor should be updated about every medication you take, the dosage, and the frequency it is taken.
You might consider using a medicine calendar. The medicine calendar can have the name of the drug and should be marked accordingly, with every dose taken.
It is important to follow a routine for taking medication. you can always use a pillbox that is marked with the days of the week. This can be very useful to some people.
One must not reduce the intake of the recommended dosage to save on finances.
It is mandatory to take the entire amount for the necessary benefits. If the cost is too high, one may talk to the doctor for cheaper and equally effective medicines.
If one forgets to take a dose at a particular time, it should be taken as soon as possible.
However, if it coincides with the time of the next dose, one should skip the previous dose and take the other at its proper time.
Do not double up on the medication! Blood pressure medication should not be overcompensated by taking two doses at one time.
Do not take any herbal therapies or over-the-counter drugs unless consulted with the doctor beforehand.
Many drugs have the potential to interact with each other and cause harmful effects.
There are different types of blood pressure medication and they should be taken as per requirement. The medicines and their properties are listed as below:
Beta-blockers: These medicines reduce the nerve impulses or stimuli to the blood vessels and the heart.
This can enable the heart to beat slower, which means lesser exertion.
This helps lower your blood pressure
Direutic: They are sometimes referred to as “water pills” because they work in the kidney and flush out the extra salt and water from the body.
ACE inhibitors: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors prevent the formation of a hormone called angiotensin II which usually causes blood vessels to narrow.
Angiotensin antagonist: These medicines shield the blood vessels from angiotensin II. This helps the vessels to expand in width and reduction in blood pressure.
Alpha-blockers: These reduce nerve impulses to blood vessels which allow blood to pass more easily and the blood pressure to fall.
