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The Benefits of Hypertension DrugsHypertension drugs are used to treat high blood pressure. In general, the goal of hypertension medication is to reduce blood pressure to less than 140/90. However, did you know that some hypertension drugs, including DynaCirc®, isradipine, ARBs and ACE inhibitors, carry some hidden health benefits?
Read on to learn all about the health benefits of hypertension drugs!
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The Benefits of ARBs and ACE InhibitorsTwo common types of high blood pressure medications are ARBs and ACE inhibitors:
While both of these medications effectively treat hypertension, they also offer additional benefits, including:
In addition, ARBs and ACE inhibitors might help fight cholesterol buildup.
ACE Inhibitors and Alzheimer's DiseaseIn addition to the above-mentioned benefits, researchers believe that ACE inhibitors that reach the brain might help reduce inflammation that might contribute to Alzheimer's disease. These so-called centrally acting ACE inhibitors include:
Isradipine and Parkinson's DiseaseDynaCirc® is the brand name form of the generic drug isradipine, a high blood pressure medication that relaxes a hypertension patient's blood vessels so his heart doesn't have to pump so hard. In recent studies conducted on mice, DynaCirc® shows potential for preventing the onset of Parkinson's disease. Human trials of the drug are being planned.
In patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, brain cells that produce dopamine die and do not regenerate. Without sufficient amounts of dopamine, people are unable to control body movements. Over time, Parkinson's patients can develop severe neurological disorders, including dementia. In the mice study, which was conducted at Northwestern University, researchers sought to discover what caused the dopamine-producing cells to die. What they found was that young mice use sodium channels to send brain signals. However, older mice use calcium channels to send the same signals. Once the calcium accumulates in the neuron, it can lead to the death of the cell. This can cause neurons, such as those that produce dopamine, to die. So, how does DynaCirc® and isradipine help prevent Parkinson's disease? The drugs block calcium channels, which, in the study, caused the brain cells in the mice to increase their sodium-based signaling. Mice that were given both isradipine and injections of MPTP, a chemical that poisons that brain's dopamine-producing cells, showed no signs of Parkinson's disease after five weeks. Mice that received MPTP but no isradipine, by contrast, showed symptoms of Parkinson's. Interestingly, a survey of people who take isradipine for hypertension found that these people had a 30 percent to 50 percent reduced risk of getting Parkinson's disease. Resources Khamsi, Roxanne (2007). Hypertension drug protects against Parkinson's. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from NewScientist.com Web site: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12034&feedId=online-news_rss20.
Makoff, Dwight (2005). ARBs & ACE Inhibitors Offer Hidden Benefits … Beyond Blood Pressure Control. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18132. Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (2007). Some hypertension drugs may help reduce dementia risk. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www.nerve.in/magnetic+resonance+imaging/news:25350048757.
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Last modified: February 21, 2008 © morefocus group, inc.
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