Antihypertensive drugs are medicines that help lower blood pressure in people whose blood pressure is too high. Blood pressure is a measurement of the force with which blood moves through the body's system of blood vessels. Although everyone's blood pressure goes up and down in the course of a typical day, some people have blood pressure that stays high all the time. This condition is known as hypertension. Hypertension is not the same as nervous tension. People who have high blood pressure are not necessarily tense, high-strung, or nervous. They may not even be aware of their condition. Being aware of high blood pressure and doing something to control it are extremely important, however. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to diseases of the heart and arteries, kidney damage, or stroke, and can shorten life expectancy.

Treatments for high blood pressure depend on the type of...