BP Medications
The ideal antihypertensive agent has not yet been found. The 100 preparations currently available can all produce side effects - Carolyn J. Pearce MD

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Hypertension: Are You on More Medication Than You Need?
Are many hypertensive patients being treated with more medication than they need? The recent JNC8 report said yes, but for the wrong reason! It said that in treating people over the age of 60, we should ease up and accept a systolic pressure (the upper number) up to 150 and not bother to keep it below the longstanding target of 140.
In a recent blog I discussed why I and many other hypertension specialists disagree with this recommended change. We’ve achieved a substantial reduction in cardiovascular events, particularly stroke, aiming at the traditional target of 140. There is insufficient evidence to abandon that goal. It does not constitute…
Resources
Blood pressure drugs work far better if taken at night, study shows
Taking blood pressure medication at bedtime rather than on waking halves the risk of events such as heart attack and stroke, a major study has revealed. Experts say the findings could potentially transform the way such medications are prescribed, but questions remain, not least why taking the medication at night has such a profound effect.
Blood pressure medication improves COVID-19 survival rates, research finds
They found that the risk of severe Covid-19 illness and death was reduced for patients with high blood pressure who were taking Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB).
Blood-Pressure Drugs Don’t Increase Coronavirus Risk
It is safe to continue taking your blood-pressure medications, researchers said.
Millions of us take drugs for high blood pressure – is it worth it?
Hypertension affects one in four adults and is usually treated with medication, even though lifestyle changes can reduce blood pressure. Here's what you need to know.
Too Many Blood Pressure Pills—Here’s A Time When Treatments Go Too Far
Physicians need to be more cautious about adding new blood pressure medicines to treat hypertension in hospitalized patients. Rising blood pressures in such circumstances might simply be an artifact of acute illness.
Hypertension Treatment Guidelines Update
A suggested treatment protocol for moderate hypertension of >20 mm Hg above goal is: An ACE inhibitor or an ARB with a diuretic or a dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel blocker (such as amlodipine, felodipine, or nifedipine) combination. Start with a low dose and titrate upward.
Blood pressure medication cancer risks: What we know 1 year after recalls began
It created panic for millions of people who take heart medications every day, but experts say the health risk from quitting is much higher.
Drugs Commonly Used to Treat High Blood Pressure
The fact that there are so many drugs to choose from means at least two things. First, it means there is no “best” drug for hypertension, that is, there is no drug that works well for almost everyone without causing unacceptable adverse effects. If there were, drug companies would have stopped their efforts to develop new antihypertensive drugs long ago—and the list of approved drugs would be much shorter. Second, with so many drugs to choose from, as long as you and your doctor are patient and persistent, it is extremely likely that an effective and well-tolerated treatment regimen will be found for your hypertension.
Hidden high blood pressure: how to avoid ‘white coat syndrome’
The presence of a medical professional can cause blood pressure to skyrocket – or hypertension to go undetected. New research hopes to increase accuracy and improve heart health
A common blood-pressure medicine is being recalled because of a toxic ingredient
The US Food and Drug Administration is recalling some medicines commonly used to help control blood pressure because batches of it may contain a chemical that’s used to induce cancer in lab rats. The recall was issued after it was discovered that a manufacturing change at China’s Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co. inadvertently exposed one ingredient, valsartan, to an organic chemical called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). That chemical is considered a probable carcinogen, and can be toxic for the liver and other organs
Aggressive Drug Cocktail Lowers Blood Pressure and Slashes Deaths
Compelling findings suggest widely available medications cut the risk of death among older Americans by nearly a quarter.
Common Blood Pressure Medication Linked To Increased Risk Of Lung Cancer
Based on results of an observational study published earlier this week in The BMJ, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, compared with a similar, but distinct type of blood pressure medication known as angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs).
Common Prescription Drugs Alter Blood’s Flow
Some drugs designed to affect vascular tone can also have cascading effects in the brain. Whether these unintended outcomes are helpful or harmful remains an open question.
Hypertension: Is It Time to Replace Drugs With Nutrition and Nutraceuticals?
Many natural compounds in food, as well as certain nutraceutical supplements, vitamins, antioxidants, or minerals, can mimic drugs, functioning in a similar fashion to a specific class of antihypertensive medications. However, they may be less potent and take longer to work than the antihypertensive drug. When used in combination with other nutrients and nutraceutical supplements, though, the antihypertensive effect can be magnified.
Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering Cuts Heart Failure, Study Says
Results likely to spur debate over whether guidelines for treating hypertension should be changed to a lower target.
Most People Who Take Blood Pressure Medication Possibly Shouldn’t
An independent analysis finds no real benefit for people with mild hypertension.
Reducing High Blood Pressure With Conventional Medications: Know the Side Effects
When it comes to reducing high blood pressure, I consider diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, stress reduction, detoxification, and earthing to be first-line treatment. I’ve seen tremendous results from these natural approaches. However, I also use pharmacological drugs when needed.
White Coat Hypertension And Masked Hypertension
This Web Focus is a collection of review articles that introduce different studies and its suggestions on white coat Hypertension. They are all specially-solicited for this review series.
‘White Coat Syndrome’ Could Actually Be A Sign Of Future Disease
For all its life-saving potential, a blood pressure reading isn’t necessarily as straightforward as you’d think.
Hypertension: Are You on More Medication Than You Need?
Are you on more medication than you need? Here are a few clues that suggest that you might be. If any of them ring true, you shouldn’t make changes on your own, but consider discussing these questions with your physician.
6 Reasons Why Your Blood Pressure Meds Aren’t Working
“Finding the right combination of medications for uncontrolled hypertension may require some trial and error,” says hypertension specialist George Thomas, MD. In his work with patients, Dr. Thomas investigates possible explanations for difficulty in controlling blood pressures. These can include...
Patient
There are five main classes of medicines that are used to lower blood pressure. There are various types and brands of medicine in each class.
StatPearls
There are multiple classes of antihypertensive medications used for the treatment of HTN; the most recommended classes used as first-line for treatment are: Thiazide-type diuretics, Calcium channel blockers, Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

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