why do people who have high blood pressure, get tablets to make them wee a lot.?

Question

My friend had her blood pressure checked it was high so she has two b/p tablets a day and when she was going to dr's to get her b/p checked she took one of the diuretics the day before and one on the day of the appointment, her b/p is still high do these diuretic tablets really work. They are called furosemide, or could be frusemide, she cant remember name of them. If she takes one on the days when she gets her b/p checked will that lower it.

gl. would my friend need to take more than one or two tablets to see an improvement, or is it an instant cure. Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi.

You are referring to a group of drugs called the thiazide diuretics.( such as bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg once per day)
They are in fact weak diuretics but cause dilatation of blood vessels - it is this mechanism that is responsible for their modest blood pressure lowering properties.
These days they are used as an add on to other meds or in older patients with only slightly raised blood pressure.
More potent agents, such as the loop diuretic , frusemide are not routinely used for high blood presure.
GL ( Dr)

Answer 2

Hi, I take a very similar tablet, they work in conjunction with other medication for lower bp but only work if taken regularly and will take a couple of weeks to consistently lower blood pressure, they work by increasing the amount of water passed through the kidneys and reduce swelling in the hands, feet and face associated with high blood pressure. Raised blood pressure (more than 140/90) does permenant damage kidneys but slowly over a period of time (mine already are) so tell your friend to take the medication every day, the diuretic will make her wee more in the morning but it does ease off after a week or so and she will not be taking it for a long period of time, her gp will stop it once her bp is stable, hope this helps

Answer 3

Auntywobb - the way in which diuretics work has been described above - I just want to say your friend should take any prescribed meds in the way they are prescribed - not an extra to lower b/p one day (by reducing fluid volume in blood that heart has to pump around body). It sounds like she wasn't taking them correctly prior to last Dr visit. Take tabs as told and have b/p checked regularly - other advice would include reducing salt - do not add to food, avoid ready-made meals, probably lose weight to recommended level and exercise - brisk walks 20-30 mins 4 times weekly to start.

Forget name above, but for guy taking Atenolol - it does not thin blood (maybe you are confusing with Warfarin which technically slows clotting-time) - Atenolol is a beta blocker which broadly speaking prevents stimulation of nerve endings and thus decreases activity of heart (lowering b/p).

Answer 4

frusemide tablets can lower the blood pressure in some cases where the main problem with the persons high blood pressure is related to fluid retention or congestive heart failure which ould require it being given intravenously. i would make sure that she seeks medical advice before continuing with this drug though. if she is to continue ensure that she eats food that contain potassium as people on frusemide tend to drop their potassium levels as it increases the urinary excretion of potassium.

frusemide is a loop diuretic.

"Loop diuretics are most commonly used to relieve the symptoms of heart failure, such as breathlessness, swollen feet and ankles, and tiredness. They might also be used to treat excess fluid due to kidney disease or after a heart attack. Occasionally, they are used to treat high blood pressure, for example, in someone with kidney failure". http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/medicine/loop_diuretics.html#3

Answer 5

diuretics are the tablets that increase kidney function. Frusemide certainly do work, they are powerful diuretics. By removing excess water from the circulation, you quickly decrease the work load on the heart

Answer 6

By taking a diuretic it decreases the amount of water in your body and thus deceases the amount of plasma volume in your blood which in turn decreases the amount of pressure exerted on your arteries.

Answer 7

Frusemide is given to reduce fluid buid up round the heart so allowing it to function more effectively. fluid build up round the heart can happen for many reasons and this is used regulary in hospital for heart faliure. Usually patients with high blood pressure are asked to regulate their diet to restrict fatty foods and reduce blood cholesterol, stop smoking and reduce alchohol intake also to reduce BMI if above the government healthy guidlines, if that alone does not improve blood pressure beta blockers and other blood pressure reducing drugs might be prescribed. It is very important for her to follow her Doctors instructions on how to take the frusemide as fiddling around with the dose as and when will not help her situation. She should talk to her Doctor if she doesn't quite understand how it works and why she is taking Frusemide.

Answer 8

Removes fluid from your body and there is less water in your blood, creating high pressure when it bangs against the vein walls.

Answer 9

Water retention is one of the causes of high blood pressure.

Answer 10

Well first, blood pressure pills should be taken daily on a consistent basis. They LOWER your blood pressure by thinning your blood. They DO NOT make you wee a lot as you put it. What I take is Atenenol 50Mg's tabs every morning. So my dosage is pretty high.