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Hypertension and Mortality

It has been shown that regular treatment and care in combination with an antihypertensive drug therapy will reduce mortality in patients with hypertension (20). There are a variety of antihypertensive drugs on the market and which one is prescribed is based on a number of factors. These include the patient's race, gender, genetic background, the presence or absence of organ damage or other diseases, cost, convenience, and tolerance for the drug. One of the most popular and controversial drug therapies available include calcium channel blockers.

Calcium channel blockers were first developed in 1962 for the treatment of angina (6). Later research discovered that they work by interfering with the influx of calcium ions into the heart and vascular smooth muscle needed for heart muscle contraction. This in turn lowers blood pressure by reducing cardiac output and peripheral resistance (3).

There are three classes of calcium channel blockers which differ in their receptor types within the calcium channel (4). The first group consists of the diphenylalkylamines or the verapamil-like agents. The second group includes the benzothiazepines or diltiazem-like agents. The third group is made up of the dihydropyridines such as nifedipine, nisoldipine, nicardipine, nimodipine, isradipine, amlodipine, and felodipine. (4). The dihydropyridines, in turn, are further divided into subclasses according to their effects on contractility.

There have been a large number of studies on the total effect of the drug. Generally they have been found to effectively lower blood pressure, have few adverse side effects, and be generally well-tolerated by those who take them regardless of age, race, or sex. Due to this and the fact that they have been heavily promoted, they are one of the more prescribed antihypertensive drugs. Their use increased from 33% in 1992 to 38% in 1995 (22). Despite their popularity, however, there has been controvers...

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Hypertension and Mortality. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 11:03, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1687600.html