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High blood pressure affects millions of people around the world. It can result in headache and chest pain. It is relatively more common in old aged individuals. Treatment options can include different types of medications. Beta blockers, ace inhibitors, and vasodilators are used by doctors around the world to treat high blood pressure.
Change in dietary habits also helps in treating blood pressure effectively. This can include reducing alcohol intake and quitting cigarette smoking. Let us try to understand more about blood pressure treatments.
Various Blood Pressure Treatments
Beta Blockers
This is another commonly used medication to treat high blood pressure. This type of medication targets beta receptors. These beta receptors are present in the cells near heart, arteries, and kidneys. Beta blockers work by reducing the rate of heartbeat.
This results in heart beating with a relatively lesser force. It lowers blood pressure as a consequence. Beta blockers can also cause heart to pump less blood to other parts of the body. All of this helps in treating high blood pressure effectively.
Vasodilators
This is one of the most common medications prescribed to treat high blood pressure. A great majority of patients suffer from high blood pressure due to heart conditions. Constriction of blood vessels requires the heart to pump harder to help blood reach different parts of the body.
Vasodilators help in dilating blood vessels and relieving pressure on the heart to pump harder. Vasodilators help in relaxing arteries and veins and aid in smooth flow of blood. This consequently leads to reduction in blood pressure.
Calcium Channel Blocker
This type of medication is used for treating different types of cardiac conditions. A calcium channel blocker works by reducing the movement of calcium in the body. They are an important type of antihypertensive medications. Patients suffering from high blood pressure in old age are known to have blood vessel stiffness.
Calcium channel blocker effectively helps in reducing the flow of calcium into heart muscle. This helps in relaxing blood vessels and taking away excess pressure from the heart. They are also helpful in reducing chest pain associated with high blood pressure.
ACE Inhibitor
As stated above, blood pressure can be a result of narrowing of blood vessels. Angiotensin is a type of hormone. It is produced naturally by our body and helps in constriction of blood vessels. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor helps in reducing formation of angiotensin II.
Reduction in production of angiotensin means avoidance of constriction of blood vessels. This helps in reducing pressure on the heart to work harder to pump blood. This consequently helps in treating high blood pressure effectively.
Diuretics
Diuretics are widely used to treat blood pressure. However, they function differently compared to other types of medications discussed above. Diuretics are normally used to help in the production of urine by flushing out water and salt from the body. Their main function is the production of excess urine.
However, they are also helpful in treating high blood pressure. Diuretics are normally prescribed with other medications to increase their effectiveness in treating high blood pressure. A combination of medications is a synergistic way of treating blood pressure.
Conclusion
High blood pressure affects a great majority of people around the world. It is relatively more common in patients of older age. The above-mentioned medications are commonly used by doctors to control and treat blood pressure.