What does blood pressure medication treat?

Different medicines work in different ways. Some relax blood vessels, some reduce the amount of fluid the body retains, and others slow the heart or change how strongly it pumps. The aim is to bring pressure into a safer range over time, even when you feel well.

Treatment is mainly used for Hypertension. Controlling pressure also helps protect blood vessels supplying the brain and heart, which can reduce the chance of pressure-related events such as Stroke or a Transient Ischaemic Attack. It is not a painkiller, although a headache caused by very high pressure may improve when the underlying pressure is addressed.

Take the medicine exactly as prescribed and try to use it at the same time each day. Do not stop suddenly or double a missed dose unless a clinician has given you that instruction. Keep a record of home readings, symptoms and missed doses so the prescriber can judge whether the plan is working.

Some people need one medicine; others need a combination. Dizziness, ankle swelling, cough or unusual tiredness can be reasons to contact the prescriber, because the dose or medicine may need review. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring can show how pressure behaves during ordinary day and night activities.

Call emergency services if high blood pressure is accompanied by sudden weakness or numbness on one side, trouble speaking, new severe chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, or sudden major change in vision. These symptoms can indicate a Stroke, heart problem or another emergency.

Seek prompt medical advice for repeated very high readings, a severe new headache, or symptoms that are worsening. A single reading should be interpreted with the device technique, your usual readings and your symptoms.

Ask which type of medicine you are taking, what result the prescriber wants, what to do after a missed dose, and which side effects need a call. You can also ask how often to measure at home and whether other medicines, supplements or illnesses could affect your readings.