- High blood pressure, or hypertension, is when your blood pressure is 140/90 and above.
- Treatment usually involves lifestyle changes, including diet, exercise, and weight loss. Sometimes, medications are also necessary.
- There are many medications to treat high blood pressure. Your doctor can recommend the best ones for you.
Treatment for high blood pressure typically involves a combination of medication and lifestyle changes to help control the condition and prevent or delay related health problems. The goal is to get blood pressure below the high range.
A normal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower. When the systolic blood pressure, the top number, is between 121 and 139, and the diastolic blood pressure, the lower number, is between 81 and 89, this is a condition known as prehypertension.
Prehypertension doesn’t necessarily raise your risk for heart attack or stroke. But without attention, it will usually progress to full high blood pressure, which definitely does raise those risks.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is present once the blood pressure is 140/90 and above.
A healthy lifestyle is the first line of defense against high blood pressure. Habits that help control blood pressure include:
- eating a healthy diet
- staying physically active
- maintaining a healthy weight
- avoiding excessive alcohol consumption
- quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke
- managing stress
- eating less salt
- limiting caffeine
- monitoring blood pressure at home
- getting support from family and friends
Some people find that lifestyle changes alone are enough to control their high blood pressure. Many also take medication to treat their condition. There are many different types of blood pressure medication with different modes of action.
If one drug doesn’t lower your blood pressure enough, another might do the job. For some people, a combination of two or more drugs may be needed to keep blood pressure under control.
High blood pressure medications can be divided into the 11 categories listed below, based on how they work. The drugs in each section are just a sampling of what’s available.
Diuretics, sometimes called water pills, help the kidneys get rid of excess water and salt (sodium). This reduces the volume of blood that needs to pass through the blood vessels, and as a result, blood pressure goes down. There are three major types of diuretics defined by how they work. They include:
- thiazide diuretics (Hygroton, Diuril, Lasix)
- potassium-sparing diuretics (Midamor, Aldactone, Durenium)
- loop diuretics (bumetanide, furosemide)
- combination diuretics, which include more than one variety used together
Diuretics in the thiazide group generally have fewer side effects than the others, particularly when taken at the low doses generally used in treating early high blood pressure.
Beta-blockers help the heart beat with less speed and force. The heart pumps less blood through the blood vessels and blood pressure decreases. There are many drugs within this classification, including:
- acebutolol (Sectral)
- betaxolol (Kerlone)
- metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor)
- metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL)
- penbutolol sulfate (Levatol)
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
ACE inhibitors help the body produce less of a hormone called angiotensin II, which causes blood vessels to narrow. These medications decrease blood pressure by helping blood vessels expand and let more blood through. Some ACE inhibitors include:
- benazepril hydrochloride (Lotensin)
- captopril (Capoten)
- enalapril maleate (Vasotec)
- fosinopril sodium (Monopril)
- lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
This class of drugs also protects the blood vessels from angiotensin II. To tighten blood vessels, the hormone must bind with a receptor site on the blood vessels. These medications keep that from happening. Consequently, blood pressure falls. Angiotensin II receptor blockers include:
- candesartan (Atacand)
- eprosartan mesylate (Teveten)
- irbesartan (Avapro)
- losartan potassium (Cozaar)
- telmisartan (Micardis)
- valsartan (Diovan)
Calcium channel blockers
Movement of calcium into and out of muscle cells is necessary for all muscle contractions. Calcium channel blockers keep calcium from entering the smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This makes the heart beat less forcefully and helps blood vessels relax. As a result, blood pressure decreases. Examples of these medications include:
- amlodipine besylate (Norvasc, Lotrel)
- felodipine (Plendil)
- isradipine (DynaCirc, DynaCirc CR)
- verapamil hydrochloride (Calan SR, Covera-HS, Isoptin SR, Verelan)
Your body produces a type of hormone called catecholamine when under stress, or chronically in some disease states. Catecholamine, along with norepinephrine and epinephrine, cause the heart to beat faster and with more force. And they constrict blood vessels. These effects raise blood pressure, and occur when these hormones attach to a receptor.
The muscles around some blood vessels have what are known as alpha adrenergic receptors. When catecholamine binds to an alpha receptor, the muscle contracts, the blood vessel narrows, and blood pressure rises.
Alpha-blockers prevent binding to alpha receptors, so blood is able to flow through the blood vessels more freely, and blood pressure falls. These drugs include:
Alpha-beta-blockers have a combined effect. They block the binding of catecholamine hormones to both alpha and beta receptors. They can decrease the constriction of blood vessels like alpha-blockers, and slow down the rate and force of the heartbeat like beta-blockers. Carvedilol (Coreg) and labetalol hydrochloride (Normodyne) are common alpha-beta-blockers.
Alpha-2 receptor agonists
Like other alpha-blockers, these drugs reduce activity in the sympathetic nervous system, which decreases blood pressure. The main biologic difference between them and other alpha-blockers is they target only one type of alpha receptor.
They are a first choice treatment during pregnancy because they generally pose few risks for the mother and fetus. Methyldopa (Aldomet) is a common form of this type of drug.
These medications keep the brain from sending messages to the nervous system that would release catecholamines and speed up heart rate and tighten blood vessels. The heart doesn’t pump as hard and blood flows more easily, so blood pressure decreases. These include:
- alpha methyldopa (Aldomet)
- clonidine hydrochloride (Catapres)
- guanabenz acetate (Wytensin)
- guanfacine hydrochloride (Tenex)
Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors
This group of drugs works to block certain chemical messengers inside the brain, which keeps the smooth muscles from getting the message to constrict. These medications are generally used only if other medications aren’t effective. They include:
- guanadrel (Hylorel)
- guanethidine monosulfate (Ismelin)
- reserpine (Serpasil)
Vasodilators relax the muscles in the walls of blood vessels, especially small arteries (arterioles). This widens the blood vessels and allows blood to flow through them more easily. Blood pressure falls as a result. Hydralazine hydrochloride (Apresoline) and minoxidil (Loniten) are examples of these.
Treatment for high blood pressure includes ongoing care, as well as individual treatments tailored for specific situations and younger age groups, including children and teens.
Ongoing medical care
To make the most of your treatment, it’s vital to get regular medical checkups and blood pressure tests. Regular checkups allow your doctor to monitor how well treatment is going and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
If your blood pressure starts inching back up, your doctor can respond promptly. Doctor visits also give you an opportunity to ask questions and bring up any concerns.
Treatment for specific situations
Additional treatment options may be needed in certain situations like resistant hypertension or secondary hypertension.
Resistant hypertension refers to blood pressure that remains high after trying at least three different types of blood pressure medication. Someone whose high blood pressure is controlled by taking four different kinds of medication is considered to have resistant hypertension.
Even such hard-to-treat cases can often be managed successfully in time. The doctor might prescribe a different medication, dose, drug combination, or more aggressive lifestyle changes.
Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that is directly caused by another health problem or drug side effect. Blood pressure often drops substantially or even goes back to normal once doctors diagnose and treat the root cause.
Treatment options for children and teens
The first-line treatment for children and teens with high blood pressure is a healthy lifestyle. This includes:
- balanced diet
- regular exercise
- weight loss for those who are overweight or obese
Children may take the same blood pressure medications as adults when necessary. For children with secondary hypertension, blood pressure often returns to normal once the underlying condition is treated.
High blood pressure treatment usually involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Sometimes, lifestyle changes are enough to return your blood pressure to normal levels. These changes may include diet, exercise, and weight loss. If your high blood pressure continues, be sure to consult a doctor who can prescribe appropriate medication.