What drug classes are used to treat hypertension?
Emily Wilson
Updated on March 07, 2026
What drug classes are used to treat hypertension?
The classes of blood pressure medications include:
- Diuretics.
- Beta-blockers.
- ACE inhibitors.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers.
- Calcium channel blockers.
- Alpha blockers.
- Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists.
- Combined alpha and beta-blockers.
What are the three classes of antihypertensive drugs?
Diuretics, adrenergic inhibitors, and vasodilators–the three major classes of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension–have an impact on coronary heart disease.
What are the ABCD drugs for hypertension?
Initial treatment should be based on the “ABCD” rule, a mnemonic for remembering that patients younger than 55 years and nonblack patients will respond better to treatment with an Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or a Beta blocker, while older patients and blacks of any age will respond better to a Calcium …
Which are the drugs for 2nd line treatment of hypertension?
Possible options include: angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II antagonists, calcium channel blockers or betablockers. In patients over the age of 60, betablockers seem less effective that the other drugs in preventing strokes.
What is the first-line drug to treat hypertension?
Practice Pointers. The strongest body of evidence indicates that for most patients with hypertension, thiazide diuretics are the best proven first-line treatment in reducing morbidity and mortality.
What is atorvastatin used for?
Atorvastatin belongs to a group of medicines called statins. It’s used to lower cholesterol if you’ve been diagnosed with high blood cholesterol. It’s also taken to prevent heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes.
Which medication classification is often the first used to treat hypertension?
The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial ALLHAT study recommended thiazide diuretics as the first-line of treatment for hypertension unless there are contraindications.
What is the first drug of choice for hypertension?
The strongest body of evidence indicates that for most patients with hypertension, thiazide diuretics are the best proven first-line treatment in reducing morbidity and mortality.
What Beta blockers are used for hypertension?
Beta-blockers include:
- Acebutolol (Sectral)
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Betaxolol (Kerlone)
- Bisoprolol (Zebeta, Ziac)
- Carteolol (Cartrol)
- Carvedilol (Coreg)
- Labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL)
Which are the drugs for 1st line treatment of hypertension?
What is the first-line treatment for hypertension?
Initial first-line therapy for stage 1 hypertension includes thiazide diuretics, CCBs, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Two first-line drugs of different classes are recommended with stage 2 hypertension and average BP of 20/10 mm Hg above the BP target.
What are the 4 best blood pressure drugs?
In terms of prescriptions written, here are the top 4 high blood pressure medications,
- the ACE inhibitor lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) tops the list,
- followed by amlodipine besylate (Norvasc),
- a calcium channel blocker, and.
- generic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
What are the best hypertension medications?
Start here. ACE Inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), are recommended as first line therapy because they lower blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart disease. ACE inhibitors are cheap, well tolerated medications that end in -il (for example: lisinopril, enalapril, benazepril).
What are the 4 worst blood pressure drugs?
Lisinopril.
What are the classes of BP medication?
High blood pressure (hypertension) medications include drugs from a variety of different drug classes and types. ACE inhibitors, ARB (angiotensin receptor blockers), beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), diuretics, alpha-blockers, alpha-beta blockers.
How to reduce hypertension without medication?
Eat a Healthy Diet to Lower Blood Pressure. By removing or limiting processed and refined foods from your diet,you could significantly reduce your blood pressure.