There are five major classes of blood pressure-lowering drugs: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCB), and thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics. Broadly, these drugs have their effects by reducing blood volume and/or relaxing the smooth muscles that control the diameter of blood vessels.
A combination of an ACEi or ARB with a CCB or diuretic is the preferred initial therapy for most people with high blood pressure.[1] If blood pressure remains uncontrolled, a combination of an ACEi or ARB with a CCB and a diuretic is recommended.[1]
References
- ^Frank L J Visseren, François Mach, Yvo M Smulders, David Carballo, Konstantinos C Koskinas, Maria Bäck, Athanase Benetos, Alessandro Biffi, José-Manuel Boavida, Davide Capodanno, Bernard Cosyns, Carolyn Crawford, Constantinos H Davos, Ileana Desormais, Emanuele Di Angelantonio, Oscar H Franco, Sigrun Halvorsen, F D Richard Hobbs, Monika Hollander, Ewa A Jankowska, Matthias Michal, Simona Sacco, Naveed Sattar, Lale Tokgozoglu, Serena Tonstad, Konstantinos P Tsioufis, Ineke van Dis, Isabelle C van Gelder, Christoph Wanner, Bryan Williams, ESC Scientific Document Group, ESC National Cardiac Societies2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practiceEur Heart J.(2021 Sep 7)