Popular Generic Medicines for Hypertension

By Charlie ParsonsFeb 10, 2021919

High blood pressure or hypertension is a severe health disorder that blocks your blood vessels in cardiac muscles and increases your blood pressure to a dangerous range. If you are suffering from this cardiac health issue, you are one of the 85 million Americans. The fact about hypertension is many people are unaware that they have it, as it does not show any early symptoms. That is the reason it gets the name “silent killer” it is life-threatening, and many people frequently lose their lives to it with a sudden stroke or a heart attack without any symptom.

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you need to makes essential lifestyle changes. However, taking anti-hypertension medicines daily will help to control blood pressure.

High blood pressure can result in severe health issues such as:

• kidney failure
• stroke
• blindness 
• heart attack

Do not lose hope!

There is good news that we live in an era where we have life-saving advanced medicines. People take such medications daily and stay healthy to combat hypertension. All the drugs work well to control hypertension so that it does not cross the fatal threshold. 

Let’s know more about popular generic medicines for hypertension.

Classes of Blood Pressure Medications

Drugs that work to control high blood pressure are called antihypertensives. Well, antihypertensive is a blanket term that has many classes, and those classes have many drugs. This result is numerous medicines doctors can prescribe to their patients depending upon the severity and other factors. The health professionals follow guidelines and recommendations from experts in this field. Commonly prescribed classes of anti-hypertensive drugs include”

Thiazide diuretics: These drugs work by increasing the body fluid that the body eliminates through urinating. These pills are commonly called water pills. They help to reduce pressure on the walls of the arteries. Common side effects of diuretics are frequent urination, increased thirst, dizziness, and sensitivity to sunlight.

Calcium channel blockers: This class works by relaxing the blood vessels and reduces heart rate. Potential side effects include rapid heartbeats, swollen feet, constipation, headache, and giddiness.

ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors: These medications block the enzyme activity and reduce the angiotensin in the body. Less angiotensin works to dilate blood vessels. The most common side effects of ACE inhibitors are skin rash and a dry cough.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers: This class directly blocks the angiotensin receptor to relax blood vessels. Common side effects are dizziness and light-headedness when standing up from a sitting position.

Beta-blockers: This class of medications inhibits the adrenalin receptor that reduces the blood pressure by decreasing the heart rate and the required force for each beat.

Popular Generic Medications for High Blood Pressure

Within each class of antihypertensive medicine, your doctor will recommend you one after examining you. Some classes contain different drug options. Others, such as ACE inhibitors have numerous options. Finding the right pill, it requires various trial and errors as well. Here are some common generic medicines used to treat high blood pressure:

• Amlodipine (Norvasc):It is a calcium channel blocker; it is usually recommended medication to take this pill once a day. Several people find a once-daily dosage of this drug is convenient and easy to remember. Amlodipine is also widely used to treat angina.
  
• Benazepril (Lotensin): It is a type ofACE inhibitor. This drug is recommended in a lower dosage once a day. Your health professional may give you this pill in higher potency in a divided form.
  
• Chlorthalidone (Hygroton): It is a diuretic medicine that is recommended once a day after food. You can take this tablet after breakfast. It also works to eliminate fluid retention and prevents heart failure.
  
• Enalapril (Vasotec):Enalapril is another very commonly advised ACE inhibitor. For high blood pressure, take this pill once a day. It also helps to avoid heart failure due to cardiac disorders.
  
• Hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril, Microzide):A common anti-hypertensive medicine that is categorized as thiazide diuretic. It comes as a capsule or usual tablet; you typically need to take it once a day. Like other thiazide diuretics, this medicine helps to eliminate water retention and helps to prevent swelling.
  
• Irbesartan (Avapro): This is an angiotensin II receptor blocker that needs to be taken daily once. It is also a treatment for kidney issues for individuals who are suffering from type 2 diabetes.
  
• Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril): Another ACE inhibitor medication. It is also a medication that you need to take daily once. Lisinopril efficiently prevents heart failure.
  
• Losartan (Cozaar):It is an angiotensin II receptor blocker drug. In many cases, once a dosage daily and regularly taking this drug reduces the risk of stroke in people with an enlarged heart.
  
• Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL):It is a potent beta-blocker drug. This medicine is available in both forms are an immediate-release and extended-release. It also helps lower the risk of another heart attack. It is also known to treat angina and congestive heart failure.
  
• Valsartan (Diovan):This is another medication that is another angiotensin II receptor blocker and prevents cardiac failure. Besides, it also helps to improve the survival rate after a heart attack. For treating high blood pressure, you need to take this drug regularly.

How can to prevent high blood pressure?

Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, you can easily prevent this silent killer called high blood pressure by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Here are few preventative tips:

Eating a healthy diet: To help manage your blood pressure levels. Therefore, you must limit sodium (salt) consumption, and you must increase the consumption of potassium in your regular healthy meals. It is also essential to consume foods with low levels of fat, plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The DASH eating plan is one such example of a healthy and beneficial diet that helps you to lower your blood pressure.

Regular exercise: Exercise is very beneficial for your overall health. It also helps you to keep your cardiovascular health fit. At first, you can begin with a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise minimum of 2.5 hours per week or vigorous-intensity aerobics for 1 hour and 15 minutes each week. Aerobic exercise like brisk walking or any workout that makes your heart beats pound will pump blood smoothly and increases oxygen.

Losing weight: Being overweight or suffering from obesity increases the risk of high blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy body weight will help you to control your blood pressure.