High Blood Pressure Symptoms

Diuretics

These are often known as ‘water pills’. They work on the kidneys, helping them to pass more salt and water into the urine. This triggers hormonal reactions which lower the blood pressure. When you first start taking diuretics, you will probably find that you need to pass water more often. If this makes your life difficult, or leads to incontinence, tell your doctor.

There are three types of diuretics. These are:

• thiazide diuretics

• loop diuretics, and

• potassium-sparing diuretics.

Of these three, thiazide diuretics are the drugs most often used to treat high blood pressure. If you take a thiazide diuretic or loop diuretic, your doctor will arrange a blood test a few weeks after you start, to check the potassium level in your blood. If this is getting low, you will be given potassium supplements, or you will be given a potassium-sparing diuretic instead.

Unwanted effects

Diuretics may lower your blood pressure too much, so your doctor may need to adjust your dose. Some of them may cause low potassium levels so, if you are taking diuretics, you may need to have tests from time to time to check on the levels of potassium in your blood. People with diabetes may find that some diuretics raise their blood sugar level. Diuretics may also cause impotence in men. And if you have gout, you may find that diuretics make your condition worse.