Medications for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the force of blood pushing against artery walls is consistently too high. Blood pressure is measured with two numbers — systolic (the pressure when the heart beats) over diastolic (the pressure when the heart rests) — and hypertension is generally defined as readings of 130/80 mmHg or higher. Most people with high blood pressure have no obvious symptoms, which is why it is often called the "silent killer." Risk factors include a high-sodium diet, physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, heavy alcohol use, chronic stress, a family history of hypertension, and older age. Over time, elevated blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels throughout the body.

Untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and vision damage. Because there are usually no warning symptoms, many people are unaware they have hypertension until a complication arises. Treatment typically starts with lifestyle changes — reducing sodium intake, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and quitting smoking. When lifestyle changes alone are not enough, medications are prescribed from several drug classes: diuretics help remove excess fluid, ACE inhibitors and ARBs relax blood vessels, beta-blockers slow heart rate, and calcium channel blockers relax artery walls. The medications listed below are among the most commonly prescribed for managing high blood pressure and reducing its associated risks.