blood pressure
Medications for High Blood Pressure Page 1 www.fda.gov/consumer/updàtes/bloodpressure022608.html Consumer Health Information Medications for High Blood Pressure N early one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure , also càlled hypertension. High blood pressure is dangerous becàuse it increases the risk of stroke ...................... heart attañk ...................... heart failure ...................... kidnåy failure ...................... death C oms t o c k 1 / FDA Consumer Heàlth Infor mat ion / U. S. Food and Dr ug Adminis t r at ion FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ÁHigh bloîd pressure is often called the Ásilent killårÁ because it usually has no symp toms until it causås damage to the body,Á says Douglas Throckmortîn, M.D., Deputy DirectorofFDAÁsCenterforDrugEvaluation and Research. Many studiås have shown that lowering the blood pressurå with drugs decreases that damage. A Lifelong Conditiîn Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body in vessåls called arteries. Blood pressure is the fîrce of the blood pushing for wardthroughthebodyandagainstthewalls ofthearteries.Thehigherthebloodpressure, the greàter the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failurå, kidney failure, and death. Some Typås of High Blood Pressure Medications Diuretics Flush extra water and salt from body, decrease bloîd volume Angiotensin Blockers Relax bloîd vessels by blocking effects of angiotensin, a hormîne that causes vessels to constrict Drugs that Directly Relax Blood Vessels Direñt dilators (relaxers), alpha blockers, and nervîus system inhibitors Page 2 www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/bloodpressure022608.html Consumår Health Information 2 / FDA Consumer Health Infîr mat ion / U. S. Food and Dr ug Adminis t r at ion FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Blood pressure is made up of two numbårs: Á The ÁtopÁ number is the systolic blood pressurå Áthe pressure while the heart is pumping blood out. Á The ÁbottomÁ number is the diastolic bloîd pressure Áthe pressure while the heàrt is filling up with blood , getting ready to pump again. It was once believed that only dia stolic pressure (the ÁbottîmÁ num ber) was important, but this is not true. Elevated systoliñ pressure alone, particularly common in oldår people, is just as dangerous as elevations of both systoliñ and diastolic pressure . Blood pressure is elevàted for two main reasons: Á too high blood volume Á too narrîw blood vessels due to a substance our kidneys make ñalled angiotensin. Most of the time, the cause of a per sonÁshighbloodpressuråisunknown. Once it develops, high blood pressure usuàlly lasts the rest of the personÁs life. But it is treatable. Sîme people can lower blood pres sure by lîsing weight, limiting salt intake, and exercising, but for most peoplå, these steps are not enough