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High Blood Pressure Medication Side Effects

Side effects of hypertension drugs

Anti-hypertension  medications are often the first thing that a doctor will prescribe when high blood pressure is detected.  This leads to millions of people taking them everyday.

This has resulted in soaring profits for the pharmaceutical industry. But what about the people taking these drugs?

Unfortunately anti-hypertensive medications do not cure high blood pressure  but merely regulate it.  Which means you have to take them everyday for the rest of your life – or your blood pressure will climb back up to dangerous levels.

Another negative aspect of blood pressure medications is bad side effects.

Below is a list of common blood pressure medications and their associated side effects:

ACE inhibitors

The most common side effect is a dry cough

Rarer side effects include:

  • Lightheadedness,
  • dizziness,
  • rash,
  • reduced
  • appetite,
  • increased blood potassium,
  • changes in the flavor of foods and swelling.

Alpha Blockers

dizziness and feeling faint when sitting up or standing up.

Additional side effects include:

  • headache,
  • pounding heartbeat,
  • nausea, weakness,
  • weight gain.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers

Side effects (relatively rare) include:

  • Diarrhea,
  • dizziness,
  • headache,
  • lightheadedness,
  • back and leg pain,
  • sinus congestion,
  • kidney failure,
  • liver failure,
  • allergic reaction,
  • lowered white blood cells,
  • swelling.

Beta Blockers

Common side effects include:

  • Cold hands, dizziness,
  • fatigue, and weakness.

Less common side effects include:

  • Depression,
  • reduced libido (sex drive),
  • insomnia (trouble sleeping),
  • shortness of breath.

Beta-blockers may cause severe asthma attacks.  They can also block indications of low blood sugar (like a racing pulse) in diabetics.   Beta-blockers can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, typically temporarily.   Abrupt discontinuation of beta-blockers can increase risk of heart attack and other heart issues.

Calcium channel blockers

Common side effects include:

  • Constipation, drowsiness,
  • flushing,
  • headache,
  • nausea,
  • rapid pulse,
  • swelling in the lower legs and feet.

Some calcium channel blockers react with grapefruit and foods that contain grapefruit by blocking the liver from properly removing them from the blood – resulting in dangerous concentrations.

Central-acting agents

Side effects include:

  • Constipation,
  • depression,
  • dizziness,
  • dry mouth,
  • drowsiness,
  • fatigue,
  • headache,
  • impotence,
  • impaired thinking,
  • weight gain.

Abrupt discontinuation can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure – especially when taken with a beta-blocker.

Diuretics

Side effects include:

  • Increased urination,
  • too much potassium in the blood (with potassium-sparing diuretics),
  • too little potassium in the blood (with thiazide diuretics),
  • breast enlargement in men,
  • increased blood sugar,
  • increased cholesterol,
  • erectile dysfunction (ED, impotence),
  • low blood sodium,
  • rash,
  • gout (joint inflammation),>
  • menstrual irregularities.

Vasodilators

Side effects include:

  • Chest pain,
  • dizziness,
  • flushing
  • headache,
  • fluid retention,
  • heart palpitations,
  • nausea,
  • sinus congestion,
  • racing pulse,
  • vomiting
  • excessive hair growth.

(anti-hypertension medication side effects list source:  www.bloodpressuresecret.com)

Side effects from blood pressure medications is not something I’ve simply read about.  It’s something I’ve experenced.

When I was first diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure I was prescribed Rampril, an ACE inhibitor commonly used here in the UK.  Just like it says on the  list above, I developed a persistent dry cough. All day and night. (For the two months I was on Rampril I kept a glass of water besides my bed. Taking a sip of water was the only way I could relieve the irritation long enough to get back to sleep after waking up every few hours needing to have a bout of coughing.)

After two months of this slow  torture and my blood pressure remained high with no sign of coming down. I could have gone on to other medications but instead made a commitment to try to get my body back in balance using alternative methods without the use of drugs.

Four months on and my blood pressure had dropped to 135/100 range – a drop of some 55 points. Now, 8 months after following natural methods my blood pressure in in the 120/80 range.

So the good news is  – there are ways to lower your blood pressure naturally that really work – without having to take medications and putting up with side effects.

The only catch is that it doesn’t come in the form of a pill. It takes time and practice. It also requires a change in diet and lifestyle.

If you need to lower your blood pressure without taking medications  I can give no higher recommendation than Kevin Riley’s 12 week program  Get Natural! This program is a pleasure to read and follow – with no bad side effects.

The Get Natural! program is now bundled in as a free bonus as part of the BreathEasy program. This program also helps to lower blood pressure through following regulated breathing exercises 15 minutes a day.

I would  recommend the BreathEasy program too. I do a 15 minute slow breathing exercise most nights before bed. It’s very relaxing and even in the span of 15 minutes my blood pressure will often drop 5 – 10  points systolic.

You can check out some free samples of  BreathEasy audio tracks at this link:  www.highbloodpressurehq.com

These two programs have worked for me. What has worked for you?

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6 Responses to “High Blood Pressure Medication Side Effects”

  • ANNE CLEARY says:

    High Blood Pressure Be Gone Simon Foster I am not very happy about your review. Yesterday I purchased online the Breath Easy CD’s using a link on your site. The CD’s did not download. I have tried sending my purchase information onto high blood pressure headquarters six times now and my emails are returned with mailer daemon …

  • admin says:

    Hi Anne,

    I’m really sorry to hear about your troubles downloading BreathEasy. You’re missing out on a really great program.

    I had no problem downloading it and nobody else has as far as I’m aware. But I did state in my BreathEasy Review, its a big download (over 50 Mbs) and takes a while to download – especially if you suffer from a poor internet connection. Have you tried calling them on their toll-free help number? As it states on their site:

    “For any questions about the product or any problems or concerns after purchase call our toll-free phone number 877-435-1985 anytime of the day or night. If the line is not in service leave a message and we will get back to you promptly.”

    You could always get your money refunded but I hope you manage to get BreathEasy and Get Natural! downloaded. If you suffer from high blood pressure they are worth every penny plus.

    Best wishes,
    Simon

  • erika says:

    My father was on medication for high blood pressure and experienced very similar problems, but to a much greater extent. The coughing severely disrupted his life. He went off the medication but is still experiencing the coughing. I am wondering if this happened to you as well, or did the coughing stop after you stopped the medication?

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