| Blood pressure is a necessary part of the body's | | | | your blood pressure. Diuretics are often |
| survival; we often think of it as a bad thing | | | | prescribed with other high blood pressure |
| because so many have problems with high blood | | | | medications, not simply on their own. |
| pressure. However, your blood pressure is simply | | | | Beta Blockers |
| a measurement of the movement of your blood | | | | If you've been prescribed beta blockers for your |
| through your system. When your heart beats, it | | | | high blood pressure, you need to make sure you |
| pumps and then rests, pumps, and then rests, | | | | are taking the prescribed dose exactly as |
| and continues this cycle for as long as you live. | | | | directed, and do not take any other medications |
| Your blood pressure reading is in two numbers | | | | unless you are sure there will be no drug |
| and is expressed as "120 over 80," or whatever | | | | interaction. Beta blockers cause your heart to |
| your reading is. The first number is when your | | | | beat slower than normally, which in turns slows or |
| heart pumps, the second is when it rests in | | | | lowers your blood pressure. Obviously any |
| between pumps. High blood pressure is when it | | | | medication that affects your heart rate needs to |
| pumps too hard or when the blood is continuing to | | | | be taken as prescribed. |
| be pushed too hard in between those pumps. | | | | ACE Inhibitors, ARB Receptor Blockers, and |
| There are many causes of high blood pressure, | | | | Calcium Channel Blockers |
| from genetic predisposition to obesity to poor | | | | ACE stands for "angiotensin-converting enzyme," |
| diet, and many other reasons. Some cases are | | | | and ARB stands for "angiotensin receptor |
| not bad enough to warrant anything more than | | | | blockers," so let's just use ACE and ARB. ACE |
| some suggestions from your doctor about | | | | inhibitors and ARB blockers stop a certain enzyme |
| lifestyle and diet choices, while other cases of high | | | | in the body that is needed to cause blood vessels |
| blood pressure are so dangerous that you need | | | | to constrict; if the blood vessels are constricted, |
| to be on medication to regulate it. If this is true in | | | | you're likely to have high blood pressure as the |
| your case, here is some simple information to | | | | body needs to work harder to push the blood |
| help you better understand commonly prescribed | | | | through those smaller openings. Calcium channel |
| medications: | | | | blockers do much the same thing. |
| Diuretics | | | | There are other medicines that you may be |
| You may have heard of these types of | | | | prescribed instead of or in addition to these |
| medications for high blood pressure actually being | | | | medicines for your high blood pressure, and if you |
| abused by those who want to lose weight. They | | | | have any question about their dosage, schedule, |
| work by causing the body to lose excess water. | | | | interaction, side effects, or anything else, do not |
| Since blood is made mostly of water, when you | | | | hesitate to talk to your doctor. |
| have less water in your system you have less | | | | Always consult your doctor before using this |
| volume of blood moving through you. This lowers | | | | information. |