Ridding the Body of Excess Fluids
Diuretics are medications that flush the body of excess fluids and sodium and are usually the first pills given to people seeking treatment for high blood pressure. The medication works by making your kidneys release more sodium into your urine, which then leaves the body when you go to the bathroom. This process takes water from your blood, which in turn decreases the amount of fluid in your blood vessels, alleviates pressure on them and lowers blood pressure. There are several forms of diuretics, including thiazide, potassium-sparing and combination diuretics. Thiazide medications are the most commonly prescribed in the treatment of high blood pressure and its related disorders.
Reducing Blood Output From the Heart
Beta-blockers are medications that cause your heart rate to slow down, therefore reducing the amount of blood pumped through your system during the course of the day. By blocking the hormone epinephrine from affecting the body, these medications cause the heart to pump slower than normal, which can reduce pressure. Beta-blockers can also relax blood vessels, which helps with blood flow. These medications are stronger than diuretics and most often not prescribed unless your high blood pressure has reached a serious level or you have other serious heart disorders associated with it.
Relaxing Blood Vessels
Sympathetic nerve inhibitors and vasodilators are two kinds of drugs that work in a similar manner. The first lowers blood pressure by telling the sympathetic nerves running from the brain to other parts of the body to relax and not constrict blood vessels in areas like the heart. When the blood vessels relax, they allow for easier blood flow and less pressure within them. The second medication causes the muscles in blood vessel walls to relax and widen, which allows for easier blood flow. There are several kinds of vasodilator medications, and each is used to treat certain kinds of disorders. Arterial dilator medication is the one usually prescribed in cases of high blood pressure.
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