For most people, medications are a major part of the plan to lower blood pressure. These medications, also called antihypertensive drugs, do not cure high blood pressure. But they can help bring it back into the normal range. Which medications you should take depends on things like:

• How high your blood pressure is
• What is causing it
• How your body reacts to the medication
• Other health problems you have

Many people need more than one type of medication to control their high blood pressure. Finding the medications and dosages that are best for you can take some time while working with your doctor. Diuretics These are often referred to as "water pills." They are usually the first type of high blood pressure medication your doctor will try. They help the kidneys remove salt and water from the body. Since you have less fluid in your blood vessels, like a garden hose that is not turned on all the way, the pressure inside will be lower.

• Amiloride (Midamor)
• Bumetanide (Bumex)
• Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
• Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
• Furosemide (Lasix)
• Hydrochlorothiazide or HCTZ (Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Microzide)
• Indapamide (Lozol)
• Metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn)
• Spironolactone (Aldactone)
• Triamterene (Dyrenium)

Beta-blockers They slow the heartbeat and stop the heart from squeezing hard. This allows blood to pass through the vessels with less force.

• Acebutolol (Sectral)
• Atenolol (Tenormin)
• Betaxolol (Kerlone)
• Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
• Carteolol (Cartrol)
• Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
• Nadolol (Corgard)
• Nebivolol (Bystolic)
• Penbutolol (Levatol)
• Pindolol (Visken)
• Propranolol (Inderal)
• Sotalol (Betapace)
• Timolol (Blocadren)

Alpha-blockers These stop nerve signals before they tell your blood vessels to tighten. Your vessels stay relaxed, giving your blood more room to move and lowering your overall blood pressure.

• Doxazosin (Cardura)
• Prazosin (Minipress)
• Terazosin (Hytrin)

ACE inhibitors Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors prevent the body from producing the hormone that tells the blood vessels to tighten. With less of this hormone in the body, blood vessels remain more open.

• Benazepril (Lotensin)
• Captopril (Capoten)
• Enalapril (Vasotec)
• Fosinopril (Monopril)
• Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
• Moexipril (Univasc)
• Perindopril (Aceon)
• Quinapril (Accupril)
• Ramipril (Altace)
• Trandolapril (Mavik)

Which blood pressure drugs have the fewest side effects? While a class of blood pressure-lowering drugs called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may be prescribed more often, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) work just as well and may cause fewer side effects. What is the safest blood pressure medication for the elderly? There is no age threshold above which hypertension should not be treated. Thiazide diuretics are first-line drugs for isolated systolic hypertension and should be included in any treatment regimen for hypertension in the elderly. What blood pressure drugs should be avoided? New research presented today at a scientific session of the American College of Cardiology indicates that two types of hypertension drugs - alpha-blockers and alpha-2 agonists - are associated with blood pressure variability. And these fluctuations are associated with an increased risk of death. When is it best to take blood pressure medication during the day or at night? New research suggests that taking blood pressure medications at bedtime may more effectively reduce the risk of illness or death from cardiovascular disease. The time of taking medication is important because blood pressure follows a diurnal rhythm. It rises during the day and falls at night when we sleep.