Common Side Effects Of High Blood Pressure Medications

Some of the drugs listed below can affect certain functions of the body, resulting in bad side effects.

However, drugs that lower blood pressure have proven effective over the years.

The benefits of using them far outweigh the risk of side effects. Most people who’ve taken these drugs haven’t had any problems.

Diuretics – Some of these drugs may decrease your body’s supply of a mineral called potassium.

Symptoms such as weakness, leg cramps, or being tired may result. Eating foods containing potassium may help prevent significant potassium loss.

You can prevent potassium loss by taking a liquid or tablet that has potassium along with the diuretic if your doctor recommends it.

Some people suffer from attacks of gout after prolonged treatment with diuretics.

This side effect isn’t common and can be managed by other treatments.

In people with diabetes, diuretic drugs may increase the blood sugar level. A change in drug, diet, insulin, or oral antidiabetic dosage corrects this in most cases.

Your doctor can change your treatment. Most of the time the degree of increase in blood sugar isn’t much. Impotence may also occur in a small percentage of people.

Beta-blockers – may cause insomnia, cold hands, and feet, tiredness or depression, a slow heartbeat, or symptoms of asthma. Impotence may occur. If you have diabetes and you’re taking insulin, have your responses to therapy monitored closely.

ACE inhibitors – These drugs, may cause a skin rash; loss of taste; a chronic dry, hacking cough most common side effect; and in rare instances, kidney damage.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers – These drugs may cause occasional dizziness.

Calcium channel blockers – may cause palpitations, swollen ankles edema, constipation, headache, or dizziness. Side effects with each of these drugs differ a great deal.

Alpha-blockers – These drugs may cause fast heart rate, dizziness, or a drop in blood pressure when you stand up i.e postural hypotension.

Combined alpha and beta-blockers – People taking these drugs may experience a drop in blood pressure when they stand up.

Central agonists – may produce a greater drop in blood pressure when you’re in an upright position (standing or walking) and may make you feel weak or faint if the pressure has been lowered too far.

This drug may also cause drowsiness or sluggishness, dryness of the mouth, fever, or anemia. Male patients may experience impotence. If this side effect persists, your doctor may have to change the drug dosage or use another medication.

Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors – may cause a stuffy nose, diarrhea, or heartburn.

These effects aren’t severe and no treatment is required other than to change the number of drugs taken.

If you have nightmares or insomnia or get depressed, tell your doctor. You should stop using the drugs.

These drugs reduce blood pressure more when you stand. Consequently, you may get dizzy and lightheaded and feel weak when you get out of bed in the morning or stand up suddenly.

If you notice any of these reactions and if they persist for more than a minute or two, then sit or lie down and either reduce or omit the next dose of the drug. If symptoms continue, contact your doctor.

Blood vessel dilators – may cause headaches, swelling around the eyes, heart palpitations, or aches and pains in the joints.

Usually, none of these symptoms are severe, and most will go away after a few weeks of treatment.