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Side effects of hypertension drugs
Anti-hypertension medications are often the first thing that a doctor will prescribe when high blood pressure is detected. This leads to millions of people taking them everyday.

This has resulted in soaring profits for the pharmaceutical industry. But what about the people taking these drugs?

Unfortunately anti-hypertensive medications do not cure high blood pressure but merely regulate it. Which means you have to take them everyday for the rest of your life – or your blood pressure will climb back up to dangerous levels.

Another negative aspect of blood pressure medications is bad side effects.

Below is a list of common blood pressure medications and their associated side effects:

ACE inhibitors
The most common side effect is a dry cough

Rarer side effects include:

Lightheadedness,
dizziness,
rash,
reduced
appetite,
increased blood potassium,
changes in the flavor of foods and swelling.
Alpha Blockers
dizziness and feeling faint when sitting up or standing up.

Additional side effects include:

headache,
pounding heartbeat,
nausea, weakness,
weight gain.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
Side effects (relatively rare) include:

Diarrhea,
dizziness,
headache,
lightheadedness,
back and leg pain,
sinus congestion,
kidney failure,
liver failure,
allergic reaction,
lowered white blood cells,
swelling.
Beta Blockers
Common side effects include:

Cold hands, dizziness,
fatigue, and weakness.
Less common side effects include:

Depression,
reduced libido (sex drive),
insomnia (trouble sleeping),
shortness of breath.
Beta-blockers may cause severe asthma attacks. They can also block indications of low blood sugar (like a racing pulse) in diabetics. Beta-blockers can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, typically temporarily. Abrupt discontinuation of beta-blockers can increase risk of heart attack and other heart issues.

Calcium channel blockers
Common side effects include:

Constipation, drowsiness,
flushing,
headache,
nausea,
rapid pulse,
swelling in the lower legs and feet.
Some calcium channel blockers react with grapefruit and foods that contain grapefruit by blocking the liver from properly removing them from the blood – resulting in dangerous concentrations.

Central-acting agents
Side effects include:

Constipation,
depression,
dizziness,
dry mouth,
drowsiness,
fatigue,
headache,
impotence,
impaired thinking,
weight gain.
Abrupt discontinuation can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure – especially when taken with a beta-blocker.

Diuretics
Side effects include:

Increased urination,
too much potassium in the blood (with potassium-sparing diuretics),
too little potassium in the blood (with thiazide diuretics),
breast enlargement in men,
increased blood sugar,
increased cholesterol,
erectile dysfunction (ED, impotence),
low blood sodium,
rash,
gout (joint inflammation),>
menstrual irregularities.
Vasodilators
Side effects include:

Chest pain,
dizziness,
flushing
headache,
fluid retention,
heart palpitations,
nausea,
sinus congestion,
racing pulse,
vomiting
excessive hair growth.

12 years ago. Rating: 5
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