Blood pressure medication side effects
A side-effect is any unwanted effect of medicines that you are taking. Some people can have side-effects from blood pressure medicines. Although these can be uncomfortable, they are usually not dangerous. They sometimes wear off over time, or your doctor or nurse can adjust your medicines to get rid of them.
Do all blood pressure medicines have side-effects?
Any medicine can have side-effects, and blood pressure medicines are no different. This does not mean that you will definitely have side-effects from your medicines. Most people who take blood pressure medicines will have no problems at all.
There is usually no way to know if you will have side-effects from your medicine. If you do, you will usually notice them soon after starting a new medicine, or if the dose of your medicine is increased.
Different people can have different side-effects from the same medicine. For example, some people taking ACE inhibitors can have a dry cough. Other people taking the same medicine may have no cough, but may feel dizzy or have an upset stomach.
If you have problems with one medicine, this does not mean that all blood pressure medicines will give you side-effects. Other medicines may help your blood pressure with no difficulties at all.
Source : bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Medicines/Side-effects
The myth of symptoms
There's a common misconception that people with high blood pressure, also called HBP or hypertension, will experience symptoms such as nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping or facial flushing. The truth is that HBP is largely a symptomless condition. If you ignore your blood pressure because you think symptoms will alert you to the problem, you are taking a dangerous chance with your life. Everybody needs to know their blood pressure numbers, and everyone needs to prevent high blood pressure from developing.
The myth of symptomatic headaches
The best evidence indicates that high blood pressure does not cause headaches except perhaps in the case of hypertensive crisis (systolic/top number higher than 180 OR diastolic/bottom number higher than 110).
In the early 1900s, it was assumed that headaches were more common among people with high blood pressure. However, research into the subject doesn't support this view. According to one study, people with high blood pressure seem to have significantly fewer headaches than the general population.
In a study published in the journal Neurology, people with higher systolic blood pressure (the top number in blood pressure readings) were up to 40 percent less likely to have headaches compared to those with healthier blood pressure readings. The researchers also looked at another measurement called the pulse pressure, which is the change in blood pressure when the heart contracts. Pulse pressure is calculated by subtracting the bottom number (diastolic reading) from the top number (systolic reading). Those with higher pulse pressure had up to 50 percent fewer headaches. The researchers think that the higher the pulse pressure, the stiffer the blood vessels. The stiffer the blood vessel, the less likely the nerve endings are working properly. If the nerve endings aren't functioning correctly, the less likely a person will feel pain.
Therefore, headaches or the lack of headaches are not reliable indicators of your blood pressure. Instead, work with your doctor and know your numbers
Source : heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighBloodPressure/What-are-the-Symptoms-of-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301871_Article.jsp
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