Hypertension MedicationsHypertension Medications

By: Elizabeth RangelBy: Elizabeth Rangel

University of the Incarnate University of the Incarnate WordWord

Brief Description of DiseaseBrief Description of Disease What Is High Blood Pressure?What Is High Blood Pressure?

- High blood pressure, or hypertension, comes from blood pushing too High blood pressure, or hypertension, comes from blood pushing too hard against your blood vessels. A healthy blood pressure is 120/80 hard against your blood vessels. A healthy blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. mm Hg.

High blood pressure affects 1 in 4 American adults.High blood pressure affects 1 in 4 American adults.

Hypertension is dangerous because it causes the heart to work Hypertension is dangerous because it causes the heart to work extra hard. This strain contributes to extra hard. This strain contributes to heart attacks and stroke. When the heart is forced to work extra hard for an extended period of time, it tends to enlarge. A slightly enlarged heart can function well, but a significantly enlarged heart cannot. High blood pressure also causes damage to the arteries, causing arterial disease.

MedicationsMedications There are many kinds of There are many kinds of

medications for high blood medications for high blood pressure but here are three pressure but here are three we choose:we choose:

Brand Brand Generic Generic

Cardura Cardura Doxazosin Doxazosin

Catapres Catapres ClonidineClonidine

Hytrin Hytrin terazosinterazosin

Medication ActionsMedication Actions

Cardura (Doxazosin):Cardura (Doxazosin):

Doxazosin is used alone or Doxazosin is used alone or in combination with other in combination with other drugs to treat hypertension drugs to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). (high blood pressure).

It works by relaxing blood It works by relaxing blood vessels so blood can flow vessels so blood can flow more easily. Lowering high more easily. Lowering high blood pressure helps blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney attacks, and kidney problems. problems.

Medication ClassificationMedication Classification

AntihypertensiveAntihypertensive

Side EffectsSide Effects

dizzinessdizziness lightheadednesslightheadedness nauseanausea drowsiness drowsiness trouble sleepingtrouble sleeping weight gain weight gain joint/muscle painjoint/muscle pain decreased sexual decreased sexual

ability/interest may ability/interest may occuroccur

Route and DosageRoute and Dosage Take this medication by mouth Take this medication by mouth

with or without food, usually with or without food, usually once daily or as directed by once daily or as directed by your doctor. your doctor.

TAKE 1 mg every dayTAKE 1 mg every day

To avoid injury related to To avoid injury related to dizziness or fainting, take your dizziness or fainting, take your first dose of doxazosin at first dose of doxazosin at bedtime. Your dose may be bedtime. Your dose may be gradually increased. gradually increased.

Dosage is based on your Dosage is based on your medical condition and medical condition and response to therapy.response to therapy.

Auxiliary labelsAuxiliary labels

This drug may make you dizzy or This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Use caution while driving, drowsy. Use caution while driving, using machinery, or doing any using machinery, or doing any activity that requires alertness. activity that requires alertness. Limit alcoholic beverages. Limit alcoholic beverages.

Before having surgery (including Before having surgery (including cataract eye surgery), tell your cataract eye surgery), tell your doctor or dentist that you are doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication. taking this medication.

The elderly may be at greater risk The elderly may be at greater risk for dizziness and low blood for dizziness and low blood pressure while using this drug. pressure while using this drug.

During pregnancy, this medication During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly should be used only when clearly needed.needed.

Special information about Special information about carduracardura

STORAGE: Store at room STORAGE: Store at room temperature below 86 temperature below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) degrees F (30 degrees C) away from light and away from light and moisture. moisture.

Do not store in the Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all bathroom. Keep all medicines away from medicines away from children and petschildren and pets..

Medication actionsMedication actions

Catapres ( Clonidine)Catapres ( Clonidine)

This medication is used to This medication is used to treat high blood pressure.treat high blood pressure.

It works by stimulating It works by stimulating certain brain receptors certain brain receptors (alpha adrenergic type) (alpha adrenergic type) which results in the relaxing which results in the relaxing of blood vessels in other of blood vessels in other parts of your body, causing parts of your body, causing them to widen. Lowering them to widen. Lowering high blood pressure helps high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney attacks, and kidney problems.problems.

Medication ClassificationMedication Classification

AntihypertensiveAntihypertensive

Side EffectsSide Effects

DizzinessDizziness

lightheadednesslightheadedness

DrowsinessDrowsiness

dry mouthdry mouth

constipation may occur constipation may occur as your body adjusts to as your body adjusts to

the medicationthe medication

Route and DosageRoute and Dosage

Take this medication by Take this medication by mouth, usually twice daily mouth, usually twice daily (in the morning and at (in the morning and at bedtime) or as directed by bedtime) or as directed by your doctor.your doctor.

Take 75 mg every day by Take 75 mg every day by mouth with or without foodmouth with or without food

The dosage is based on The dosage is based on your medical condition and your medical condition and response to therapy.response to therapy.

Auxiliary labelsAuxiliary labels This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy; use This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy; use

caution engaging in activities requiring alertness caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery.such as driving or using machinery.

Limit alcoholic beverages. Limit alcoholic beverages.

Caution is advised when using this drug in the Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its elderly because they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially dizziness. effects, especially dizziness.

Caution is advised when using this drug in Caution is advised when using this drug in children. If they cannot take doses of this children. If they cannot take doses of this medication due to vomiting from medication due to vomiting from stomach/abdominal illnesses, they may be at stomach/abdominal illnesses, they may be at increased risk for developing rebound increased risk for developing rebound hypertensionhypertension

This drug passes into breast milk. Consult your This drug passes into breast milk. Consult your

doctor before breast-feeding.doctor before breast-feeding.

Special information about Special information about ccatapresatapres

Lifestyle changes such as Lifestyle changes such as stress reduction programs, stress reduction programs, exercise, and dietary exercise, and dietary changes may increase the changes may increase the effectiveness of this effectiveness of this medicine. medicine.

This medication is also used in This medication is also used in men to treat the symptoms of a men to treat the symptoms of a prostate gland condition called prostate gland condition called BPH (benign prostate BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia, also known as hyperplasia, also known as enlarged prostate). enlarged prostate).

Medication actionsMedication actions

Hytrin ( Terazosin)Hytrin ( Terazosin)

Hytrin is prescribed to Hytrin is prescribed to reduce high blood reduce high blood pressure.pressure.

It may be used alone or in It may be used alone or in combination with other combination with other blood pressure lowering blood pressure lowering drugs.drugs.

Medication ClassificationMedication Classification

AntihypertensiveAntihypertensive

Side EffectsSide Effects fatiguefatigue

nauseanausea

drowsinessdrowsiness

blurred visionblurred vision

headacheheadache

stuffy nose stuffy nose

lightheadedness lightheadedness

dizzinessdizziness

Route and DosageRoute and Dosage Take this medication by Take this medication by

mouth, usually once daily mouth, usually once daily at bedtime or as directed at bedtime or as directed by your doctor. by your doctor.

Take 1mg by mouth daily , Take 1mg by mouth daily , may increase dose slowly may increase dose slowly to desired response; not to to desired response; not to exceed 20 mg a day. exceed 20 mg a day.

Dosage is based on your Dosage is based on your medical condition, use of medical condition, use of other medications, and other medications, and response to therapy.response to therapy.

Auxiliary labelsAuxiliary labels This drug may make you dizzy This drug may make you dizzy

or drowsy.or drowsy.

You should avoid driving. You should avoid driving.

Limit alcoholic beverages. Limit alcoholic beverages.

To reduce the risk of dizziness To reduce the risk of dizziness and fainting, caution is and fainting, caution is advised when standing for advised when standing for long periods. Avoid getting long periods. Avoid getting overheated during exercise or overheated during exercise or hot weather. hot weather.

This medication should be This medication should be used only when clearly used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. needed during pregnancy.

Special information about Special information about hytrinhytrin

Laboratory and/or Laboratory and/or medical tests may be medical tests may be performed periodically performed periodically to monitor your to monitor your progress or check for progress or check for side effects. Consult side effects. Consult your doctor for more your doctor for more details.details.