Blood pressure medications can help lower high blood pressure to a healthy level. They don’t cure it, but they can reduce your risk for serious health problems like heart attacks and stroke. Most people need to take more than one medication to control their blood pressure. Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the right drug and dose for your body. It may also take some time to get your blood pressure under control.<\/p>\n
Your doctor will likely start by recommending lifestyle changes. That includes getting more exercise, eating a diet low in salt and fat, and losing weight. Your healthcare provider will repeat your blood pressure after a few months to see how your lifestyle changes are working. If your systolic reading is 140 or higher or your diastolic is 90 or higher, your healthcare provider will prescribe medicines to treat your high blood pressure.<\/p>\n
The most recent guidelines feature detailed advice about hypertension treatment, including four classes of drugs deemed first-line options: thiazide diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers. These medicines are often used in combination because they work differently to target different parts of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that regulates blood pressure.<\/p>\n
For instance, ACE inhibitors and ARBs block an enzyme in the system so less angiotensin, a chemical that narrows blood vessels, is produced. In turn, this helps blood vessels remain wide and relaxed. Calcium channel blockers and thiazide diuretics slow down the heart rate, which helps reduce blood pressure.<\/p>\n
More than 70% of people need more than one treatment to control their blood pressure, and some medicines are available in combination pills. Combinations are linked to better outcomes, fewer side effects, and lower costs compared with taking single, separate medications.<\/p>\n
Medications for high blood pressure can make you feel sleepy or tired, especially beta-blockers and diuretics. This is because the medication can interfere with your natural sleep cycle, but you can ease drowsiness by adjusting your dose, timing, metabolism, or combining medications.<\/p>\n
People with diabetes have to take insulin every day to help manage high blood sugar. Some types of insulin work quickly to balance out the carbohydrates you eat with what your body uses for energy. Others, called long-acting or ultralong-acting insulins, prevent blood sugar from rising when you eat and work for about 24 hours or more. Examples include glargine (Lantus), detemir (Levemir) and NPH (Humulin N, Novolin N). You may also be prescribed an older group of medications, often called TZDs or gliptinides. These work to reduce blood sugar and may be used when other medicines do not work, are too costly or have unpleasant side effects. Brand names include ACTOS (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone).<\/p>\n
Your healthcare provider can help you get the best results with your medication and diet.<\/p>\n
Most antidepressants help relieve depression by affecting brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers that aid in communication between brain cells. Different types of antidepressants affect these neurotransmitters in slightly different ways. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are often the first antidepressants health care providers prescribe, because they work well and cause fewer side effects than other medications. Examples include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).<\/p>\n
Your doctor may recommend another type of antidepressant, such as a SNRI or TCA. Examples of SNRIs are venlafaxine (Venlafaxine) and duloxetine (Cymbalta, Drizalma Sprinkle). TCAs, including tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, are used less often now than in the past because they can cause more serious side effects. However, your doctor may prescribe them for some people, especially if other antidepressants don’t help.<\/p>\n
Talk with your health care provider about the cost and whether or not your health insurance covers the medicine. Most do, but if they don’t, you can ask for a discount or try a different medicine. You should also discuss whether or not you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because some antidepressants can pose risks to your unborn baby.<\/p>\n
People who have anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and specific phobias, can have trouble living their lives as they would like to. They often have trouble with things such as work, relationships and daily activities. Some people may be able to get relief from their anxiety by using psychotherapy (talk therapy) or medications. However, it is important to remember that what works for one person may not work for another and it might take some trial and error to find the right treatment.<\/p>\n
Medications for anxiety include antidepressants and antianxiety medicines, as well as blood pressure medications and beta blockers. Some of these medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating depression but are also used to treat anxiety, such as SSRIs, SNRIs, benzodiazepines and clonazepam. Others are not approved to treat anxiety but do help reduce anxiety symptoms. These include hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril), buspirone and meprobamate (Miltown, Equanil).<\/p>\n
In addition to these medications, doctors may sometimes prescribe drugs not specifically approved for anxiety, such as methylphenidate or amphetamine. These drugs are sometimes used to treat ADHD and can also reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as tense muscles. Doctors may also recommend a combination of drugs for people who have both anxiety and depression, such as SSRIs with a mood stabilizer.<\/p>\n
If you’re taking medication to manage your anxiety, you should talk to your provider about the risks and benefits of this medicine. It’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions exactly, including how long to take the medication and what to do if you have side effects. It’s not a good idea to stop taking your medicine without talking to your provider, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms.<\/p>\n
Research is ongoing to develop newer medications for anxiety, including agents that target neuropeptide pathways and glutamate, as well as endocannabinoids and phytochemicals. The development of these medications might improve the effectiveness of existing treatments, such as SSRIs, NMDA receptor modulators and benzodiazepines. This might allow them to be used as adjuncts in anxiety-focused psychotherapies, such as CBT and exposure therapy.<\/p>\n