Today, over 50,000 Americans die every year because of hypertension (high blood pressure). And now, more than ever, high blood pressure medications are being doled out to us like children touring a candy factory. These meds appear to have come a long way since 1900...but have they?
Not cyanide, but...
It's a drug called Nitropress® . It's a far removed cousin of the old sodium thiocyanate. And it too has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure...
But some of the side effects of this injection drug are:
- Confusion and tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Gasping for a breath - or breathing that stops altogether
- Extreme light-headedness - even while horizontal
- Fainting
- Hyperventilating, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and possible seizure
Fact is, there has never been a high blood pressure medication without dangerous side effects - and there may never be...
Here are just a few things you need to worry about when taking the most common high blood pressure medicines:
→ Diuretics -
these seemingly harmless "water pills" cause an increase in urination
and are designed to lower blood pressure by eliminating excess water and
salt in the urine. This makes it easier for your heart to pump. They
carry the common names of Zaroxolyn and Esidrix. The problem is that
they deplete your body of much needed nutrients that also flow out when
you urinate. These drugs produce undesirable side effects like frequent
urination, dehydration, lethargy, cramps and weakness. More serious (and
dangerous) to your health are fever, sore throat, dizziness, blurred
vision and arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat).
→ Beta Blockers - designed to block the flow of adrenaline, they can successfully lower blood pressure by opening the blood vessels for easier blood flow, and can reduce the speed and force of your heartbeat. Some common side effects are dizziness, feeling faint, and cold or swollen hands and feet. In patients with diabetes, these can also "block" the warning signs of low blood-sugar levels. Less common, but all too real, are wheezing and shortness of breath. Beta Blockers can narrow air passages, making it difficult to breath. If you're taking Propanolol, Acebutolol, Metaprolol, Bisoprolol, or Nebivolol - you're at risk.
→ Alpha Blockers - Flomax®, Cardura®, Uroxatral®, and Hytrin® are all Alpha Blockers. They lower your blood pressure by blocking chemical messages sent by blood vessels. They can also cause hair loss, runny nose, dizziness, pounding headaches, extreme weakness, weight gain, and can surge bad cholesterol, putting your heart at risk of failure. Also, a sudden drop in blood pressure caused by these medicines brings the warning against driving or "performing dangerous tasks" until you know how they will affect you.
→Vasodilators - high blood pressure is marked by a contraction of the blood vessels, inhibiting blood flow and making your heart work harder to perform. So it makes sense to use a dilator to relax those smooth muscles and open up the passages. However, the usual problems are associated with their use - dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. But these can also cause diarrhea, and loss of appetite (which they swear is temporary). More serious are the side effects they want you to see your doctor for: unusual change in appearance - rashes, skin tone changes - fainting, fluid retention, pain in joints or back, weakness, unusual bleeding, abnormal heart beat, mood changes, and weight gain.
→ Beta Blockers - designed to block the flow of adrenaline, they can successfully lower blood pressure by opening the blood vessels for easier blood flow, and can reduce the speed and force of your heartbeat. Some common side effects are dizziness, feeling faint, and cold or swollen hands and feet. In patients with diabetes, these can also "block" the warning signs of low blood-sugar levels. Less common, but all too real, are wheezing and shortness of breath. Beta Blockers can narrow air passages, making it difficult to breath. If you're taking Propanolol, Acebutolol, Metaprolol, Bisoprolol, or Nebivolol - you're at risk.
→ Alpha Blockers - Flomax®, Cardura®, Uroxatral®, and Hytrin® are all Alpha Blockers. They lower your blood pressure by blocking chemical messages sent by blood vessels. They can also cause hair loss, runny nose, dizziness, pounding headaches, extreme weakness, weight gain, and can surge bad cholesterol, putting your heart at risk of failure. Also, a sudden drop in blood pressure caused by these medicines brings the warning against driving or "performing dangerous tasks" until you know how they will affect you.
→Vasodilators - high blood pressure is marked by a contraction of the blood vessels, inhibiting blood flow and making your heart work harder to perform. So it makes sense to use a dilator to relax those smooth muscles and open up the passages. However, the usual problems are associated with their use - dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. But these can also cause diarrhea, and loss of appetite (which they swear is temporary). More serious are the side effects they want you to see your doctor for: unusual change in appearance - rashes, skin tone changes - fainting, fluid retention, pain in joints or back, weakness, unusual bleeding, abnormal heart beat, mood changes, and weight gain.
Most of these drugs are prescribed
together. Many times, one is prescribed to cancel out the dangerous side
effects of another. Do you really want to put that kind of stress on
your body? If your answer is NO, Learn how to prevent hypertension from this simple tips.
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