14/03/2025
Hypertension and drugs effects (Part1)
Hypertensive is typical are a consistent elevated blood pressure of a period of time. It's basically of two types. It's called primary hypertension when it is NOT DUE TO or CAUSES BY any underlying sickness. Example diseases like kidney failure , diabetes etc can lead to HBP. Primary hypertension is commonly causes directly by prolonged exposure to risk factors which include but not limited to smoking , alcohol , use of students like coffee, drug abuse, insufficient nutrients factors, stress, use of oral contraceptives, to***co use, obesity etc
The other type is secondary hypertension.This is caused by the existence of an underlying disease e.g kidney problem, diabetes etc
In either type of HBP, there is usually a broad range and category of drugs used to manage hypertension.
Let's take a look at two groups and their nutritional effects
The Diuretics:
Diuretics typically increase the flow of urine from the body. This is common with patients that use such drugs to manage HBP.
These are the most commonly prescribed. Examples include metolazone (Zaraxolyn), furosemide ( Lasix), amiloride ( midamor) etc. Diuretics work by reducing the blood volume in the blood vessels through reducing the water content of the blood. This makes the blood volume in the vessels smaller and hence reduces the pressure in the blood vessels as only little blood with be pushed through the vessels. The side effect of this category of drugs is that as the kidneys extract the water from the blood, a lot of mineral nutrients vital to body and cardiovascular (heart) functions are also excreted along with the water. Magnesium , sodium and potassium are mostly affected.
Reduced quantity of magnesium and potassium are inherently dangerous to the heart and body.
First, the human body cannot absorb calcium without magnesium. Magnesium is the transport vehicle for calcium into the cells , tissues and bones. Check any calcium supplement you have, it must have Magnesium added as a component. Go and verify.
Magnesium is also important in almost over 3000 metabolic biochemical reactions in the body including almost all digestive enzymes. Did you hear that!
That is not all. Most critically, magnesium is critical in maintaining normal heart beat , heart rhythm and the muscular contractions of all the muscles in the body and with specific reference to the heart muscles. What does this tell you?
When you have insufficient ( poor absorption) calcium due to low magnesium arising from persistent use of diuretics, the additional side effects is weak and brittle bones. This affects the elderly people most especially if they have been on blood pressure drugs for long. This is in addition to the fact that nutrient absorption reduces as we age. Wahala wear agbada oh.!
Potassium on the other hand is the major regulator of blood pressure and not sodium. The ratio of potassium (K) to (Na) Sodium is what matters not the absolute quantity of either of them.
However, while potassium tends to work to reduce blood pressure, sodium works to increase it. So if the blood pressure lowering mineral ( potassium) is depleted by the drugs that is meant to “cure” the HBP, what does that tell you?
HBP drugs hold no hope for CURE but they play vital roles in cases of emergency. They are palliatives.
True health is only in exploring the potentials of your body's immune system via nutrition, lifestyle changes to maintain optimal health.
The next category we will discuss are the Beta blockers.
Watch this space for that. Coming soon.
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