Antihypertensive Drugs Quiz

Hypertension Treatment

• To treat hypertension, the class of drugs used is diuretics, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and alpha blockers.

Blood Pressure Reduction

• Reducing blood pressure by 5 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke.

First-Line Treatment

• ACE inhibitors are favored as the first-line treatment of choice for high blood pressure.

NICE Recommendations

• NICE recommends ACE inhibitors or calcium channel blockers as the first-line treatment for individuals under 55 years old.

JNC8 Recommendations

• JNC8 recommends ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, or thiazide-type diuretics as a first-line treatment for hypertension, either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs.

Slowing Kidney Function Decline

• ACE inhibitors are more effective at slowing down the decline of kidney function compared to calcium channel blockers and beta blockers.

Avoidance in Black Hypertensives

• ACE inhibitors should not be a first-line treatment for black hypertensives without chronic kidney disease.

Alternative to ACE Inhibitors

• ARBs are considered a favorable alternative to ACE inhibitors for hypertensive patients with heart failure and intolerance to ACE inhibitors.

Myocardial Infarction Risk

• Thiazide-type diuretics have been shown to increase the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) in some studies.

Discontinued First-Line Treatment

• Beta blockers are no longer recommended as a first-line treatment for hypertension due to their relative adverse risk of stroke and new-onset of type 2 diabetes.

Direct Smooth Muscle Relaxation

• Direct vasodilators act directly on the smooth muscle of arteries to relax their walls and are only used in hypertensive emergencies or when other drugs have failed.