Antihypertensive drugs

Antihypertensive drugs (they are also called antihypertensives) are medicines aimed at lowering blood pressure. The introduction, development and subsequent use of drugs began around the middle of the last century, since then the arsenal of medicines aimed at combating the fundamental enemy of human health has been replenished every year.

Before acquaintance directly with preparations, it is necessary to explain in brief what is arterial hypertension. In fact, this is not even one disease, but the whole group, united by a common sign - increasing blood pressure. First of all, this disease affects elderly patients, as well as those who are overweight. In addition, the risk of developing hypertension increases if one of the relatives suffers from the syndromes of this terrible disease.

Hypotensive therapy should appoint a doctor. Hypertension is precisely the case when the wrong choice of a drug can not simply not give the desired effect, but also significantly worsen the patient's condition. Instead of self-medication, you need to turn to a specialist who, guided by the patient's condition, will select the right antihypertensive drugs.

The classification of such funds now looks as follows:

1. Diuretics. Differences in the strength of the action, all drugs that are part of this group have a similar effect: initially, there is a decrease in the volume of blood circulating in the body. The cause of this phenomenon is the drop in the level of cardiac output. Over time, the overall peripheral resistance of the vessels decreases, and the stores of sodium chloride are depleted. Depending on the mechanism of action, the entire class of diuretics is divided into:

• Potassium-sparing;
• Looped;
• Inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase;
• Thiazide and thiazide-like.

2. Adrenergic receptor antagonists. These antihypertensive drugs have antiarrhythmic effect and reduce the production of certain hormones. Among such drugs, the most commonly used in the treatment of diseases associated with pathological changes in blood pressure:

• Alpha-blockers;
• Blockers of combined type (alpha and beta);
• Beta-blockers.

3. Adrenergic receptor agonists. Preparations, whose action is aimed at the reduction of an overly active sympathetic nervous system. These include:

• Alpha2-agonists.

4. ACE inhibitors. The group of "antihypertensive drugs" include only four types of inhibitors: libenzapril, captopril, prenapril, lisinopril. Have anti-ischemic and renoprotective (increased renal hemodynamics) effect. In addition, the reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy in the course of using drugs of this group has been demonstrated.

5. Calcium channel blockers. This group of drugs is recommended for use by elderly patients and suffering from isolated systolic hypertension.

6. Angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists. Drugs belonging to this group have a pronounced ability to slow cardiac hypertrophy of the heart, in particular, its left ventricle.

7. Aldosterone antagonists. Prevents excessive loss of calcium by the body. For example, the drug "Veroshpiron . "

8. Vasodilators. To the drugs of this group are: "Nitroglycerin", "Verapamil", "Nitroprusside sodium", etc. Their main effect is a decrease in the total peripheral resistance, due to which the lumen of small vessels widens.

9. Stimulants of alpha receptors in the brain.

As can be seen from the above, antihypertensives are an extensive group of drugs, each of which has special healing properties. Pick up the right medicine in each of the subspecies of hypertension can only specialist.