Drugs are administered in a planned way to lower B.P. by making the body or kidney eject extra salts and thus increase urine formation; by directly acting on the regulatory mechanism in the brain that controls the blood pressure and by giving tranquilizers and sedatives.
These medicines are administered in a set order which is as follows:
(i) Diuretics: It is a drug that increases the volume of urine produced by promoting the excretion of salts and water from kidney. These drugs eliminate excess sodium from the body through the kidneys by promoting urine formation and excretion. Since the decrease in the sodium content of the body tends to reduce the plasma volume it indirectly helps lower the B.P. These drugs are very useful but prolonged treatment with diuretics causes increased loss of potassium loss may cause loss of appetite constipation, fatigue and muscle weakness. On many such occasions, potassium loss is made good by taking lots of fresh fruits and fresh citrus juices. That is why this dose of diuretics should be taken in the morning with breakfast preferably with a glass of orange juice.
(ii) Main Drugs: Three types of drugs are recommended in this group of drugs: Rauwolfia Alkaloids (for having a tranquilizing pleasant effect); Methylodopa (for' producing methylnoradrenaline, a harmless derivative to quell the tension-inducing noradrenaline) and clonidine (to inhibit parts of the sympathic-adrenergic system in the brain to 100ver the arterial resistance and the pulse rate and thus the blood pressure).
All these drugs are given to lower the blood pressure by directly acting on the regulatory mechanism in the brain that controls the blood pressure. They inhibit the sympathico drenogenic system - the nervous system that prepares the body for fright, flight or fight by their involuntary reactions - by releasing part of the noradrenaline stored in the arterial walls.
(iii) Supporting Drugs: The drugs that widen the blood vessels are known as Vasodilators. They have a direct action on the blood vessels and do not act on the autonomic nervous system or the sympathico advenogenie system. These drugs are often used in combination with a diuretic or a beta-blocker-a drug used for treatment of abnormal heart rhythm. These Vasodilators if given in small doses have hardly any side effects but their large doses might cause severe headaches in which case, the dose should be reduced or spread over a period of time.
Beta-blockers are the most favorite drugs for lowering blood pressures. These drugs used with diuretics and vasodilators form the backbone of high blood pressure therapy in allopathic style of treatment. Beta-blockers are drugs which block the action of adrenaline at beta-receptor, i.e., the receptor on the heart which increases the heart rate during exertion or anxiety. Patients on such drugs tend to have a slow heart rate. But the physician must check whether the patient of high B.P. have a history of asthma or bronchitis or certain types of diabetes or not. In that case the beta-blockers should not be prescribed.
Adrenerjic drugs are also given to the patients of high B.P. These drugs work by blocking the transmission of impulse from the brain to the blood vessels. Guanethidine and betha-anidine are drugs in this group which are quite powerful antihypertensive drugs. They act slowly but their effect last long. Hence the dosage are to be cautiously adjusted.
(iv) Tranquilisers and Sedatives: Many people including some physicians are of the opinion that since high blood pressure may be caused by stress, tranquilizers and sedatives should always be prescribed. But this is not always correct. It is only in cases of mild hypertension that tranquilizers and sedatives may help lower the blood pressure to normal levels. But never use them unless your physician prescribes them. Some commonly used Babiturates are Amvbarbital, Butaberbtital, and Sicobarbital.
And some non-Babiturates which are commonly used are: Chloral Hydrate, Eltrochlorvynol, Ethinamate and Methyprylon.
Note: All these drugs are to be used always in consultation with the physician and a competent medical practitioner. The basic purpose of giving idea about these drugs and medicines is to enlighten the reader about their working on the system. |
