By Treating high blood pressure helps prevent many problems, such as chronic kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, and eyesight problems. It is necessary to treat high blood pressure problems, but there are various side effects of high blood pressure medication that you should know.
Any medication can cause dangerous side effects, and medicines for high blood pressure are also included in this list. Often the side effects of these medicines can be minor, but still, you must be informed about them. The article will address the questions about the average age to start blood pressure medication and what happens if you take blood pressure medicine and don’t need it, as these questions are major concerns regarding high blood pressure.
The below table represents all the high blood pressure medications and their side effects.
Blood Pressure Medications and Their Side Effects
| Medications | Side Effects |
| ACE inhibitors | loss of taste, a metallic taste in the mouth, an upset stomach, headaches, tiredness and fatigue, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, sensitivity to sunlight, low blood pressure, constipation, loss of appetite, |
| beta-blockers | drowsiness or fatigue, cold hands and cold feet, weakness or dizziness, dry mouth, eyes, and skin; swelling of the hands or feet, rash or itchy skin, insomnia, depression, low blood pressure, slow heart rate, wheezing or difficulty breathing, |
| alpha-blockers | rapid heart rate when standing up, a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, skin rash or itchiness, headaches, nausea, feeling tired, weak, or lazy, disturbed sleep, loss of bladder control in women, erectile dysfunction in men |
| diuretics | Weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness, skin rash, muscle cramps, heightened sensitivity to sunlight, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances, constipation |
| alpha-2 receptor agonists | Tiredness, dizziness, drowsiness |
| angiotensin II receptor blockers | upset stomach, sore throat cough, joint pain, fever, fatigue, back pain, nervousness, |
| central agonists | feeling faint or weak, especially when standing up, dry mouth, fever, erectile dysfunction, drowsiness or lethargy, nasal congestion, constipation, pancreatitis, liver disease, anemia, |
| calcium channel blockers | Tiredness, flushing, palpitations, nausea, swollen feet or ankles, dizziness, upset stomach, constipation, rash or itchy skin, shortness of breath, |
| combined alpha- and beta-blockers | Combined effects of alpha and beta blockers |
| vasodilators | heart palpitations, headaches, swelling around the eyes, joint pain, weight gain, hair loss |
| peripheral adrenergic inhibitors | nasal congestion, diarrhea, heartburn, dizziness or weakness when standing up, fainting, low blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, depression, lightheadedness, bad dreams |
Do You Know?
A study says… Many people who have high blood pressure unknowingly take drugs that make it worse.
What are Some Common Side Effects of High Blood Pressure Medications?
High blood pressure medications are easy to take, but all of these medications have minor or serious side effects that can cause serious health problems. Let’s explore some common side effects of high blood pressure medications.
Dizziness or Lightheadedness
Using alpha-blockers can cause dizziness and lightheadedness in the human body. It happens due to reduced blood pressure.
Headache
Some high blood pressure medications can cause headaches. You must consult the doctor when you feel symptoms while taking medications for high blood pressure.
Skin Rash
ACE inhibitors can cause dangerous side effects such as skin rash. It also causes loss of taste, so consulting with your health care provider is essential in this way.
Erection Problem
A few high blood pressure medications may affect sexual function and sex drive. Using water pills named diuretics decreases the blood flow to the penis, and achieving an erection becomes difficult.
Diarrhea
Angiotensin II receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors are commonly used medicines used to treat the problem of high blood pressure but can cause diarrhea in some people.
Cough
Some blood pressure medicines can cause a dry cough that cannot be treated if you keep using the same medications, so you must visit your doctor to find the solution.
Constipation
He calcium-channel blockers, including diltiazem, helps to relax the muscles to lower blood pressure levels, but they may cause constipation as they also relax the gut muscles.
Feeling Nervous, Tired, and Weak
The use of high blood pressure medications slows down the heart’s pumping action and disturbs the nervous system, which is why you feel anxious. It also makes you feel tired and weak.
Lack of Energy
When the heart’s pumping process becomes slow, it causes a lack of energy in your body. You must visit your doctor to change the medicine and get a better prescription.
Nausea or Vomiting
The medications used to treat high blood pressure can cause nausea and vomiting; the most common medicines that cause this problem are calcium–channel blockers.
Weight Loss or Weight Gain
The use of beta blockers causes weight loss or weight gain in your body. The average weight that you gain can be calculated at around 2.6 pounds.
Who Should Not Use High Blood Pressure Medications
The following table shows who should not use high blood pressure medications as they can harm certain people. It shows the medicines and enlists people who should not use these medications.
| Medication | Harmful For The People Who Have | Medication | Harmful For The People Who Have |
| Diuretics | Kidney problems, diabetes, anuria, gout, pancreatitis, irregular menstruation | Beta-blockers | Diabetes, poor blood circulation, Asthma, liver disease, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, food allergies |
| ACE inhibitors | Diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, allergy to medicines, hypovolemia | Angiotensin II receptor blockers | Severe heart failure, diabetes, dehydration, liver or kidney disease, pregnancy |
| Calcium channel blockers | Low blood pressure, heart failure, depression, liver or kidney disease | Alpha-blockers | Angina, narcolepsy, heart failure |
| Alpha-2 receptor agonists | Orthostatic hypotension, COPD, autonomic nervous system problem | Combined alpha- and beta-blockers | Diabetes, slow heart rate, liver disease, asthma |
| Central agonists | High level of prolactin in blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease | Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors | Congestive heart failure, fluid retention, depression, asthma, peptic ulcers |
Can You Stop Once You Start Taking Blood Pressure Medication?
Following a simple lifestyle can reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Some people require the use of blood pressure medications to maintain their health. It would be best if you stop using the blood pressure medication quickly, as it can cause dangerous side effects in your body. However, if you want to stop taking medications, you must reduce taking them gradually with time.
Following are the few things that you should keep in mind when you think of stop taking blood pressure medications.
- Many blood pressure medicines should be stopped gradually and slowly to avoid dangerous side effects.
- Serious side effects or withdrawal indications can be caused due to stop taking the blood pressure medications suddenly.
- It is better to talk to your doctor before changing the process of taking blood pressure medications or stopping them quickly.
What Happens If You Take Blood Pressure Medicine and Don’t Need It?
Sometimes, you do not need any blood pressure medicine to maintain your blood pressure level. Lifestyle change can also help reduce the risk of high blood pressure. So it is recommended not to take blood pressure medications when you don’t need them as there are many side effects of high blood pressure medications. It can cause serious heart and health problems that can end your life. So,
- Never use any blood pressure medication without consulting with the doctor
- Do not use blood pressure medication when you do not need it, as it can cause serious problems
- Consult with the doctor before using blood pressure medicines during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Sometimes it becomes necessary to take blood pressure medications. Still, it is not always essential to use them without their needs as there are various side effects of blood pressure medication. Some blood pressure medications are also unsafe if you use them during pregnancy. That is why it is important to talk to your doctor before starting any blood pressure medication.
All the effects of blood pressure medications include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, erection problem, and cough; discuss these with your doctor to get the best medicine prescription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which high blood pressure medicine has fewer side effects?
Although all blood pressure medications have some side effects, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have fewer side effects than other medications.
Can I stop taking high blood pressure medications if my blood pressure is normal?
High blood pressure medications are used to control blood pressure, but it isn’t easy to cure it. Do not suddenly stop taking blood pressure medications if you think that your blood pressure is normal. Keeping track of your blood pressure while using the medicines is also necessary. Reduce the use of blood pressure medications slowly if you want to stop them but never stop taking them suddenly. Also, improve your diet to lower blood pressure.
What are some side effects of high blood pressure medication?
There are various side effects of high blood pressure medications, such as
- Headache
- Feeling exhausted and tired
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Cough
- Nervousness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Erection problem
What are the long-term side effects of high blood pressure medication?
The most common long-term side effects of high blood pressure medication include kidney damage.
How often should I take my high blood pressure medication?
You must take blood pressure medication daily, but sometimes you forget to take one or two doses. That is fine, as it does cause a serious problem, but you must take care of taking medication according to the doctor’s prescription.
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