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MEDICATIONS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESURE TABLE A1

Medications and Actions	Generic Name	Examples of Brand Names	Uses	Specific Side Effects	Specific Precautions
Centrally Acting Agents These medications affect control centers in the brain that decrease blood pressure	Methyldopa	Aldomet	Decrease blood pressure	Fluid retention (edema) Fever Insomnia Lower blood pressure Dizziness Liver function or blood cell count Abnor-malities Dry mouth	May need to stand slowly from lying position to avoid sudden blood pressure drop and faintness; do not stop taking abruptly
	Guanfacine	Tenex
	Guanabenz	Wytensin
	Clonidine	Catapres
	Clonidine (skin patch)	Catapres-TTS		Drowsiness Itching (skin patch)	Double-check possibility of interactions with other medication
Direct Acting Vasodilators These medications cause the muscle in the walls of blood vessels to relax	Hydralazine	Apresoline	Decrease blood pressure; reduce work load of heart	Low blood pressure Dizziness Lupus syndrome (blisters, chest pain, joint pain, weakness) Diarrhea Headache	May need to stand slowly from lying position to avoid sudden blood pressure drop and faintness
	Minoxidil	Loniten	Decrease blood pressure	Fast heartbeat Flushing Fluid retention (edema) Excessive hair growth	Check resting heart rate periodically; check weight (to assess fluid gain)
Peripherally Acting Agents These medications exert their effects on the nerves of the body that are involved in blood pressure regulation	Guanadrel	Hylorel	Decrease blood pressure	Fluid retention (edema) Low blood pressure Dizziness Drowsiness Difficulty ejaculating Mental depression Stomach and bowel disturbances	Double-check possibility of interactions with medications; may need to stand slowly from lying position to avoid sudden blood pressure drop and faitness
	Guanethidine	Ismelin
	Mecamylamine	Inversine
	Prazosin	Minipress
	Rauwolfia	Harmonyl
	Alkaloids	Raudixin Rauzide Serpasil
	Terazosin	Hytrin
	Doxazosin	Cardura
Beta blockers, see Table F; calcium blockers, see Table G; diuretics, see Table C; angiontension converting enxyme (ACE) inhibitors, see Table C

MEDICATIONS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESURE (ARBs) TABLE A2

Agent	trade Name	FDA-Approved Indications	Usual Adult Maintenance	Drug Interactions	Half-life	Side Effects
Candesartan	Atacand	Hyper-tension, congestive heart failure	8-32 mg a day	Potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	9 h	Hyperkalemia, Angioedema (rare), and cough in 20% of patients who experience cough with an ACE-inhibitor
Eprosartan	Teveten	Hyper-tension	400-800 mg a day	Potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	20 h
Irbesartan	Avapro	Hyper-tension; nephropathy in type 2 diabetes	300 mg a day	Potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	11-15 h
Losartan	Cozaar	Hyper-tension; nephropathy in type 2 diabetes	100 mg a day	Fluconazole (Diflucan), potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	6-9 h (active metabolite)
Olmesartan	Benicar	Hyper-tension	20-40 mg a day	Potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	13 h
Telmisartan	Micardis	Hyper-tension	20-80 mg a day	Digoxin, potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	24 h	Changes in renal function may be anticipated in Susceptible Individuals
Valsartan	Diovan	Hyper-tension; congestive heart failure in patients intolerant to ACE-inhibitors	80-320 mg a day for hypertension; 80-160 mg twice a day for congestive heart failure; 320 mg maxium dose	Potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements	6 h

This list is not comprehensive and does not represent an endorsement of any product listed.

Antiarrhythmic medications

These drugs are used to treat abnormal heart rhythm and rate. The most commonly used medications are:

1. Beta-blockers

2. Calcium channel blockers

3. Digitalis

4. Other anti-arrhythmic medications.

Arrhythmias are abnormalities of the heart rhythm that occur when there is a disruption in the normal cardiac rhythm. This could be due to abnormalities in the atrium, which is the upper chamber of the heart, or in the ventricles, which are the lower chambers of the heart.

These groups of drugs are given to regulate the heartbeats and/or to prevent the arrhythmias from occurring.

These medications sometimes could be given intravenously and/or orally depending on the clinical situation and the availability of these drugs. It will be selected based on the form of arrhythmia you have. Unfortunately, these drugs have potential side effects, such as slowing of the heartbeat or worsening of the arrhythmias. These medications can also reduce blood pressure and have other symptoms, which will be listed in the graphics.