Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefits and RisksDiureticsAngiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)Calcium Channel BlockersBeta-BlockersAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) InhibitorsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Benefits and Risks
Diuretics
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
Calcium Channel Blockers
Beta-Blockers
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
Frequently Asked Questions
As we get older, many people find that they are taking an increasing number of medications with blood pressure medications being some of the most common. Unfortunately, all medications come with some risks. While blood pressure medication side effects may be mild, there are some more serious concerns to be aware of.
Terry Vine / Getty Images
Benefits and Risks of Blood Pressure Medication
Blood pressure medications help control your blood pressure levels. This reduces the risk of serious health concerns such as:
Because all drugs have the potential for side effects, speak with your healthcare provider about risks and any other questions you may have.
Your healthcare provider will tell you two numbers for your blood pressure reading. If the first number is above 130 and the second number is 80 or higher, you have high blood pressure.
The Importance of Taking Prescribed Medications
Side effects of diuretics may include:
Taking additional medications, from your healthcare professional or ones you bought at the drug store, including supplements, can trigger a variety of side effects.
Side effects may include:
Keep in mind that ARBs should not be taken during pregnancy.
This drug can interact with other medications, including beta-blockers, drugs that treat irregular heartbeats, and ACE inhibitors.Drug interactions can impact how effective medications are and can also cause side effects.
Toprol-XL (metoprolol succinate), and otherbeta-blockersreduce your heart rate, which in turn decreases your heart’s output and blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors, such as Lotensin (benazepril hydrochloride) and Prinivel (lisinopril), relax, or open up, the blood vessels. This helps lower your blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors can lead to side effects like:
ACE inhibitors can cause serious issues during pregnancy. Speak with your healthcare provider immediately if you may be pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant and are taking this medication.
Summary
Blood pressure medications help keep your blood pressure levels within a healthy range. However, medications can come with side effects that range from mild to more serious.
Ask your healthcare provider if there are other medications that will work for you if your current medication is causing side effects. If you must stay on your current medications, ask if you can take them on a different schedule to see if that helps.
Neverstop using medicationor change your dosage without consulting your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked QuestionsResearch notes that ARBs tend to have less side effects compared to ACE inhibitors. Those taking ARBs tend to have a lower risk of developing a cough, skin swelling, digestive tract bleeding, and pancreas inflammation. Keep in mind that these should not be used during pregnancy.Blood pressure drugs help decrease the risk of serious conditions. For the majority of people, blood pressure medications do not lead to any side effects. Some people may experience side effects, but these tend to be mild.Research that examined animals and humans noted that long term use of blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be linked to kidney damage. However, more research is needed.Calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and diuretics are generally considered first-line treatment options.Research supports that their safety and effectiveness is very similar, with certain diuretics considered only slightly safer than the other classes of drugs.
Research notes that ARBs tend to have less side effects compared to ACE inhibitors. Those taking ARBs tend to have a lower risk of developing a cough, skin swelling, digestive tract bleeding, and pancreas inflammation. Keep in mind that these should not be used during pregnancy.
Blood pressure drugs help decrease the risk of serious conditions. For the majority of people, blood pressure medications do not lead to any side effects. Some people may experience side effects, but these tend to be mild.
Research that examined animals and humans noted that long term use of blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be linked to kidney damage. However, more research is needed.
Calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and diuretics are generally considered first-line treatment options.Research supports that their safety and effectiveness is very similar, with certain diuretics considered only slightly safer than the other classes of drugs.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Blood pressure medicines.American Heart Association.Medication adherence - taking your meds as directed.National Institute on Aging.High blood pressure and older adults.American Heart Association.Cardiac medications.Harvard Health Publishing.Tips for taking diuretic medications.Hill RD, Vaidya PN.Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARB, ARb). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Tazkarji B, Ganeshamoorthy A, Auten B.Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors vs. angiotensin receptor blockers.AFP. 2015;91(3):193-194.American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.Texas Heart Institute.Calcium channel blockers.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Calcium channel blockers.British Heart Foundation.Beta blockers.Chen R, Suchard MA, Krumholz HM, et al.Comparative first-line effectiveness and safety of ace (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a multinational cohort study.Hypertension. 2021;78(3):591-603. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16667Watanabe H, Martini AG, Brown EA, et al.Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system causes concentric hypertrophy of renal arterioles in mice and humans.JCI Insight. 2021;6(24).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.High blood pressure.Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32317-7
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Blood pressure medicines.American Heart Association.Medication adherence - taking your meds as directed.National Institute on Aging.High blood pressure and older adults.American Heart Association.Cardiac medications.Harvard Health Publishing.Tips for taking diuretic medications.Hill RD, Vaidya PN.Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARB, ARb). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Tazkarji B, Ganeshamoorthy A, Auten B.Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors vs. angiotensin receptor blockers.AFP. 2015;91(3):193-194.American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.Texas Heart Institute.Calcium channel blockers.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Calcium channel blockers.British Heart Foundation.Beta blockers.Chen R, Suchard MA, Krumholz HM, et al.Comparative first-line effectiveness and safety of ace (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a multinational cohort study.Hypertension. 2021;78(3):591-603. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16667Watanabe H, Martini AG, Brown EA, et al.Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system causes concentric hypertrophy of renal arterioles in mice and humans.JCI Insight. 2021;6(24).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.High blood pressure.Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32317-7
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Blood pressure medicines.American Heart Association.Medication adherence - taking your meds as directed.National Institute on Aging.High blood pressure and older adults.American Heart Association.Cardiac medications.Harvard Health Publishing.Tips for taking diuretic medications.Hill RD, Vaidya PN.Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARB, ARb). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Tazkarji B, Ganeshamoorthy A, Auten B.Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors vs. angiotensin receptor blockers.AFP. 2015;91(3):193-194.American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.Texas Heart Institute.Calcium channel blockers.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Calcium channel blockers.British Heart Foundation.Beta blockers.Chen R, Suchard MA, Krumholz HM, et al.Comparative first-line effectiveness and safety of ace (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a multinational cohort study.Hypertension. 2021;78(3):591-603. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16667Watanabe H, Martini AG, Brown EA, et al.Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system causes concentric hypertrophy of renal arterioles in mice and humans.JCI Insight. 2021;6(24).U.S. Food and Drug Administration.High blood pressure.Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32317-7
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Blood pressure medicines.
American Heart Association.Medication adherence - taking your meds as directed.
National Institute on Aging.High blood pressure and older adults.
American Heart Association.Cardiac medications.
Harvard Health Publishing.Tips for taking diuretic medications.
Hill RD, Vaidya PN.Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARB, ARb). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Tazkarji B, Ganeshamoorthy A, Auten B.Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors vs. angiotensin receptor blockers.AFP. 2015;91(3):193-194.
American Heart Association.Types of blood pressure medications.
Texas Heart Institute.Calcium channel blockers.
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.Calcium channel blockers.
British Heart Foundation.Beta blockers.
Chen R, Suchard MA, Krumholz HM, et al.Comparative first-line effectiveness and safety of ace (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a multinational cohort study.Hypertension. 2021;78(3):591-603. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16667
Watanabe H, Martini AG, Brown EA, et al.Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system causes concentric hypertrophy of renal arterioles in mice and humans.JCI Insight. 2021;6(24).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.High blood pressure.
Suchard MA, Schuemie MJ, Krumholz HM, et al.Comprehensive comparative effectiveness and safety of first-line antihypertensive drug classes: a systematic, multinational, large-scale analysis.Lancet. 2019;394(10211):1816-1826. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32317-7
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
