Antihypertensive Drugs

Nearly 700,000 strokes occur in the U.S. every year. A lot of these could have been prevented. Preventing a stroke consists of addressing numerous risk factors. Age, sex, even race and family history can be contributing factors. These are risks you cannot control. Luckily, there are risks you can control through medicines and style of living changes.

Steps:

1. Control high blood pressure. Work closely with your health care provider. Eat a healthy diet, exercise daily, quit smoking, reduce salt intake, and watch your weight. Check your blood pressure on a normal basis.
2. Control diabetes. Diabetics are at a higher risk of having a stroke. Reduce your risks of getting diabetes by managing your diet and exercising properly to maintain a healthy weight.
3. Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking is a major cause of strokes.
4. Control high blood cholesterol. Eat a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol and high in fiber. Maintain healthy body weight, and exercise regularly. Have your cholesterol levels checked every 4-5 years (more often if you know it is high).
5. Watch the alcohol use. Overindulgence of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Drink in moderation.
6. Maintain a healthy weight. Eat less, eat healthy foods, and exercise more. If you are obese or have trouble sticking to a diet, talk to your doctor. Consult a nutritionist or join a weight loss group for support.
7. Be aware that if you suffer from atrial fibrillation (an irregular and rapid heart rhythm) your risk for a stroke is highly increased. Atrial fibrillation can create clots which can lead to a stroke. Your doctor can provide you with the proper care and medication.

Tips:

• Walking just 30 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week, can bring about changes that help reduce the risk of a stroke.
• A proper diet begins with indulging in more fresh fruits and vegetables, lower salt or sodium intake, and less saturated fats and cholesterol.
• Genetics plays a role in stroke risk factors. If high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease run in your family, make your doctor aware of this.
• Learn to recognize the 5 major symptoms of a stroke. These signs appear suddenly and the victim may have one or more concerns at once. Look for:
  • Numbness of the face, arms, or legs.
  • Confusion, difficulty speaking or responding to others.
  • Vision impairment in one or both eyes.
  • Inability to walk, lightheaded or lack of coordination.
  • Severe headache of unknown cause.
• If you believe someone is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately

Many people today suffer with high blood pressure problems, or as it is sometimes called, hypertension. As you are no doubt aware, there is a large selection of medical remedies available to treat patients sufferering from this common heart problem. One drug you may be considering taking is Lotrel. In this article we will examine some of the claims of this treatment, how best to use it and some potential side effects.

What is Lotrel and how does it work?

There is a group of drugs commonly known as calcium channel blockers; Lotrel belongs to this cluster. The way these particular drugs work is to act directly on the walls of arteries and veins thereby improving the flow of blood. In layman’s terms what actually happens after using Lotrel is that the patient’s blood vessel tissues are relaxed, in effect widening them.

Compatibility of Lotrel with other Treatments

Lotrel can be used as a stand alone treatment, or if necessary and prescribed by your physician, in conjunction with other medication. This is an important point which we should not overlook – Lotrel is compatible with several other common medications such as those often prescribed for angina. There are many recorded cases showing it has succeeded after other drugs have failed. Follow your doctor’s prescription advice to the letter and there is a very good chance of showing signs of real improvement even before the course of treatment is over.

What Dosage should I take?

In the main, it is normal when starting to take Lotrel to begin with a low dosage. To obtain the best results it is vital to liaise with your doctor about the initial dosage. The same is true after you have been using this drug, consult with your doctor before modifying the amount you are taking. This is actually common sense and a standard procedure; after all the dosage will depend on how your body responds to the treatment and this can only be determined by constant supervision.

Lotrel Side Effects – make sure none of this applies to you

Some side effects can be caused by this drug so it is important to be aware of them. You should not take Lotrel if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, neither should you breastfeed during the treatment. If you suffer from diabetes, heart condition, and have problems with your liver or kidney then do not take this medication. Should you require surgery or emergency treatment inform your health provider that you are taking Lotrel for high blood pressure. The common sense advice is to always speak with your doctor who will advise on the best course of action for you.

You are probably familiar with drug Tritace, often prescribed by doctors for those suffering from high blood pressure problems. For those looking to start taking this medication it is advised to do some research first; look at the positive claims made about it but also investigate the drug’s side effects so that a decision can be reached as to whether this is the right medicine to take. We will examine these issues in this article, what it does inside the body, its claims of success and any reported side effects we should know about.

What is the effect of Tritace in the body?

As with many other drugs, Tritace has more than one name, you will find it referred to as Ramipril or Altace. In fact Ramipril, an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor (or ACE) is the active ingredient contained in Tritace. It works by inhibiting the quantity of the protein Angiotensin II being produced, thus widening the blood vessels leading to a reduction in blood pressure/

Tritace success groups

The most successful patient groups are those people 55 years and older. Tritace has also been very successful when taken as a preventative medicine for those at a high risk of a heart attack. When cardiologists and endocrinologists are looking to prescribe an ACE inhibitor this treatment is amongst the most popular. Those are the successes; let us now have a look at the other side of the coin.

When Tritace doesn’t work

Let’s be clear about this – ACE inhibitors such as Tritace are very potent substances which work extremely well in the right human body environment. However, every human body is different, and the interaction of a particular drug can cause problems with a particular human condition. The common sense advice is always to discuss your intentions with your doctor first to avoid any issues.

Most importantly, due to possible harmful effects to the unborn child, women during pregnancy should not take Tritace. Those who have an allergy to ACE inhibitors should not take this treatment. Water pills, more commonly known as diuretics, should not be taken together with this medication. If you are taking potassium supplements your doctor may advise a different remedy for your high blood pressure.

What side effects can occur?

All drugs can potentially cause side effects, interestingly with Tritace these do not happen very often. There are two types to look out for, the first are minor side effects usually experienced at the start of the treatment. These can include coughing bouts, vomiting or nausea, slight skin rashes and sleep problems. They should pass in a very short time, report them to your doctor only if they linger or worsen.

The second types are much more serious. Immediately stop taking Tritace and see your doctor straight away if you have chest pains, fainting spells, fever like symptoms or a sudden weight gain.

It seems that pharmaceutical companies are always introducing new products into their range to deal with ailments and conditions. One such product that has been introduced to deal with hypertension or high blood pressure is Plendil.

Whilst high blood pressure does not have a cure it can be maintained or controlled with calcium channel blockers like this. Short Facts: Most hypertension medications and calcium channel blockers work to relax arteries and veins in your blood vessels. Plendil is no different and operates on the same principle. When the arteries and veins are relaxed more oxygenated blood can flow to the heart which is of a higher quality. This is effective because the pressure that the heart was under is relieved and the heart is able to pump more effectively with less muscular stress. The aim of the medication is to reduce serious cardiovascular disease to reduce the risk of death from the effects of high blood pressure. Side Effects This medication can produce some side effects which may cause you discomfort. One side effect is that you may experience dental problems, usually in your gums. You will need to increase your dental brushing and flossing routine to avoid these unfortunate side effects.

The other thing is that this medication does not react well with grapefruit. So, if you are a fan of grapefruits or grapefruit drinks you will need to stop your intake while on this course of medication. Unfortunately, when grapefruit and Plendil are mixed there can be dangerous side effects so it is not worth risking that morning drink.

Your doctor should be able to advise you on what sort of beverages and meals are suitable for you while taking this drug.

Another thing is, that if you are used to crushing tablets up or chewing them to make it easier to get your daily dose you will not be able to do that while on your course of treatment. This medication must be swallowed whole. If Plendil is taken in any other form the concentrations can increase the absorbtion rate in your body and lead to an overdose. It is common at the commencement of your treatment to experience dizziness when standing up or sitting down all of a sudden. If you make slow movements it will cause your blood pressure to settle until your body has fully adjusted to this medication. You will often experience the side effects of this medication first thing in the morning, on standing up or late at night. If the side effects are unusual or cause you discomfort you should immediately consult your doctor.

Administration Plendil is best taken with a light meal. If taken on an empty stomach it can cause harm to the digestive tract. You can, of course, take Plendil with or without food. Fact is, though, if you suffer from hyper acidity or GERD, it would be better to line your stomach with a meal. Long Term Treatment You will probably find that you will feel much better in the days after you start your treatment. You cannot stop your treatment if this is the case. Stopping your dosage of Plendil suddenly can cause serious affects on your blood pressure. If you do wish to stop your course of treatment you will need to discuss the procedure with your doctor to gradually stop the administration of Plendil.

Cardizem is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by slowing conduction in the heart, slowing heart rate, and / or normalizing heart rhythm.

Cardizem is used to treat high blood pressure, high blood pressure), angina (chest pain), and some heart rhythm disorders (tachycardia supraventricular, atrial fibrillation).

Cardizem can also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

A substantial number of men who take medications for high blood pressure (hypertension) have erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction is an inability to achieve or maintain a satisfactory erection. Certain diseases (including hypertension), medications (including some of those for blood pressure), or psychological factors can be the cause of the ED in these men. Many of my patients with hypertension ask me whether it is safe to take sildenafil (Viagra) with their blood pressure medications.
As you probably know, sildenafil is a relatively new, quite effective, and highly publicized treatment for ED. Yet, this question of safety is pertinent and logical since both sildenafil and many anti-hypertensive medications work by opening up or widening (dilating) certain blood vessels. Sildenafil dilates vessels to increase the blood flow to the penis, while the blood pressure medications dilate certain vessels to lower the blood pressure. Thus, the question arises as to whether it is safe to combine these two different medications (sildenafil and the various anti-hypertensives). Since they both independently dilate the blood vessels, it is conceivable that together they could lower the blood pressure too much.

How does sildenafil produce an erection? During normal sexual stimulation, a compound called nitrous oxide (NO) is released in the penis. The NO increases the level of a metabolic regulator known as cyclic GMP and, thereby, causes relaxation of the smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels. As a consequence of this relaxation, the vessels dilate and blood flow into the shaft of the penis increases, thereby resulting in an erection. Sildenafil works by inhibiting the breakdown of the cyclic GMP so that the drug basically enhances the effect of the NO. Accordingly, in patients with ED, sildenafil dilates the blood vessels and increases the blood flow in the penis to produce an erection.

A mild dilating effect of sildenafil on blood vessels elsewhere in the body may lead to some flushing and/or headaches in some people. Furthermore, a decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number of a blood pressure reading) of 8-10 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of 3-6 mm Hg is not uncommon in healthy individuals using sildenafil. These changes in blood pressure occur within 1 hour and subside by 4 to 8 hours. Such a modest decrease in blood pressure, however, is generally well tolerated in normal individuals.

To answer the question as to whether sildenafil is safe to use together with anti-hypertensive medications, Kloner and colleagues analyzed the data from ten different, already published studies on the drug. In each of these studies, the subjects were given either placebo or sildenafil by chance (randomly) without the patients or the investigators knowing which was given (double-blind). It turned out that among the 3975 individuals taking sildenafil, 1094 of them were also taking one or more blood pressure medications. (Two hundred and seventeen patients were taking more than one blood pressure medication.) The anti-hypertensive drugs included diuretics, beta-blockers, alpha-blockers, ACE inhibitors, or calcium channel blockers, but not the newer agents, angiotensin receptor blockers.

The data from the 3975 patients were analyzed to compare the results of using sildenafil in the 1094 people who were taking anti-hypertensive medications to those in the 2881 people who were not. The investigators looked at the effectiveness of the drug in improving erections. In addition, they reviewed the side effects, particularly those (for example, dizziness and fainting) that might suggest an excessive lowering of blood pressure. Kloner and colleagues, for the Sildenafil Study Group, recently published the findings of this large but after-the-fact (retrospective) analysis in the American Journal of Hypertension (2001; 14: 70-73).

Valsartan

Tareg is a Valsartan formulation that’s not marketed in USA. It’s produced by Novartis pharma to be marketed in Africa, Asia and Middle east. It’s a generic product of the pioneer Diovan. There are 4 concentrations of Tareg 40, 80, 160 and 320mg Valsartan.
Valsartan is a white fine powder that is soluble in alcohol and slightly soluble in water.

Tareg (Diovan) is used in treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). It’s a type of Angiotensin Receptor blockers.

It’s a prescribed drug so patient should not take it without physician directions in specific dose limits. Diovan also is totally avoided during pregnancy specially the first trimesters. If you are hypertensive patient that using Diovan (Tareg) and got pregnant. You should immidiatly stop Diovan and call your doctor to change the medication.  As Diovan is fatal to neonates.

TARKA® (trandolapril/verapamil hydrochloride ER)

Chemical composition:

TARKA® consists of a combination of slow release formula of Verapamil (Calcium channel blocker) and immidiate release formula of Trandolapril (ACE inhibitor)

Verapamil formulated as verapamil hydrochloride which is white crystalline powder soluble in water and alcohol, odourless and has bitter taste. Trandolapril is the ethyl ester of the active forumla tradolaprilate. Trandolapril is colourless crystalline powder soluble in methanol and chloroform

TARKA also contains the following ingredients: lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, ethanol, corn starch, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate,  hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, , magnesium stearate,  polyethylene glycol, silicon dioxide, povidone, purified water ,sodium stearyl fumarate,  sodium alginate,  talc, synthetic iron oxides,  and titanium dioxide.

TARKA® has 4 strengthes 2/180mg, 1/240mg, 2/240mg, 4/240mg as trandolapril/verapamil.

Azor

The United States food and drug adminstration (FDA) approved Azor as first line treatment for high sever blood pressure. AZOR is formulated by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. It’s a combination of Amlodipine as Amlodipine besylate and Olmesartan medoxomil. It’s prescribed for patients suffering from high blood pressure that can’t be controlled by the normal single antihypertensive theraby.

Exforge is a new antihypertensive medication produced by Novartis pharma. It combines between two main antihypertensive classes (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers as Valsartan and Calcium channel Blockers as Amlodipine). It’s been prescribed by doctors in case of chronic high blood pressure when one drug is not enough.