Angiotensin Receptor Blockers is a drug also known as Angiotensin II receptors antagonists. Angiotensin receptor blockers or sartans are used to treat hypertension, cardic failure and diabetic nephropahty (Kidney affected by diabetes).
The mechanism of action is to block the angiotensin receptors. These receptors cause narrowing or constriction of blood vessels which results in increased blood pressure.
These drugs basically block the angiotensin receptors and prevent vasoconstriction action of the receptors, decrease the secretion of vaspressin and also decrease the secretion of aldosterone. All these three actions of angiotensin receptor blockers together reduce the blood pressure.
The patients who cannot tolerate Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor therapy, they are given primarily angiotensin II receptor for the control of high blood pressure.
The Angiotensin receptor blockers are usually given to the patients in different potencies keeping in view the condition to control the blood pressure. Usually high doses provide satisfactory results to control the blood pressure.
The family of this particular drug has common adverse drug reactions and the drug is usually well tolerated. The common drug reactions include headache, hyperkalemia and dizziness.
Other infrequent adverse drug reactions include diarrhea, rash, abnormal liver function, dyspepsia, myalgia, insomnia, renal impairment, nasal congestion, phayngitis, back pain, decreased hemoglobin levels and muscle cramps.
Even the drugs are useful for the treatment of blood pressure but researchers are still working on the factor of using drug increases the heart attack risk slightly or not. However most of the reports reveal that angiotensin receptor blockers have shown no indications to increase the risk for heart attack or other cardiac diseases.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
