Choosing blood pressure medications Show
Many drugs are available to treat high blood pressure. Choosing the right one can be tricky. Learn how to find the best one for you. By Mayo Clinic StaffThere are many different high blood pressure medications (antihypertensives) available, each with pros and cons. Your health care provider might prescribe more than one type to treat your condition. Taking your medications as prescribed, monitoring your blood pressure and making lifestyle changes can help you reach and maintain a healthy blood pressure. Lifestyle changesIf you're beginning to develop high blood pressure (prehypertension) or if you already have it, lifestyle changes may help you reduce or eliminate your need for medication. Try these steps to help lower and control blood pressure.
Medication optionsIf making lifestyle changes isn't enough to control your blood pressure, your health care provider will likely prescribe blood pressure medication. You may be given one or more of these medications:
Other medications sometimes used to treat high blood pressureIf you're not able to reach your blood pressure goal with one or more of the above medications, other drugs that lower blood pressure include:
How well a drug works depends on the person's age, sex, race, blood pressure level and overall health. Combining two drugs usually works better than a single drug to get blood pressure under control. Sometimes additional medication is needed to achieve a blood pressure goal. High blood pressure drugs and other health conditionsHigh blood pressure often goes hand in hand with other health problems. High blood pressure increases the risk of having one of these conditions:
However, a targeted treatment approach might reduce the risk of these conditions. For example, if you have chest pain (angina) related to coronary artery disease, your health care provider may recommend a beta blocker to lower your blood pressure, prevent chest pain, reduce your heart rate and decrease your risk of death. If you have diabetes and high blood pressure, taking a diuretic plus an ACE inhibitor may decrease your risk of a heart attack and stroke. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease, you may need an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker. Reaching your blood pressure goalA combination of lifestyle changes and medication is often needed to help control blood pressure. However, it's not unusual to try several medications or doses before finding what works best for you. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you and your health care provider know if your treatment is working. Home blood pressure monitors are widely available and inexpensive, and you don't need a prescription to buy one. Remember that home blood pressure monitoring isn't a substitute for visits to your health care provider. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this
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. What medications reduce diastolic blood pressure?Examples of diuretic medications to treat high diastolic blood pressure include:. Isosorbide and mannitol (Osmotic diuretics). Hydrochlorothiazide (thiazide diuretic). Furosemide (loop diuretic). Spironolactone (Potassium-sparing diuretic). How do I get my diastolic pressure down?Diastolic blood pressure that's too low can lead to heart damage and may increase your risk for heart disease.. Focus on heart-healthy foods. ... . Limit saturated and trans fats. ... . Reduce sodium in your diet. ... . Eat more potassium. ... . Lay off the caffeine. ... . Cut back on alcohol.. How do you stabilize diastolic blood pressure?Here are 10 lifestyle changes that can lower blood pressure and keep it down.. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. ... . Exercise regularly. ... . Eat a healthy diet. ... . Reduce salt (sodium) in your diet. ... . Limit alcohol. ... . Quit smoking. ... . Get a good night's sleep. ... . Reduce stress.. Why is my bottom diastolic pressure high?Diastolic pressure is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading. IDH occurs if someone has elevated diastolic blood pressure, increasing a person's risk of heart disease and stroke. Smoking, consuming alcohol, obesity, and high blood fat may lead to IDH.
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