Tenoretic® is a medication prescribed to people who suffer from high blood pressure. It contains two active ingredients, atenolol and chlorthalidone. These two drugs treat hypertension in different ways and have been given to patients separately and in combination for a number of years. After it was discovered that the two medications could be administered simultaneously without causing adverse effects, the drug Tenoretic® was produced to offer them in one combination pill. The medication needs to be taken exactly as directed by a doctor, as misuse may have serious consequences.
One of the active ingredients in Tenoretic® is atenolol. This medication lowers blood pressure by preventing the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline from binding at sites on the heart. These hormones, especially noradrenaline, are used to quicken and strengthen the contraction of the heart muscle. In their absence, the heart rate and the pressure created by the heart beat are both lowered.
The other medication in Tenoretic® is chlorthalidone. This drug is a diuretic and helps lower blood pressure by decreasing the fluid and the amount of sodium chloride in the blood stream. With chlorthalidone or other types of diuretics in the body, the kidneys are unable to retain water, and quickly release it into the urinary tract. When they are unable to hold onto water, the kidneys cannot retain as much salt, which is passed out into the urine as well. The result is less blood volume overall as well as less sodium chloride content in the blood, which helps to keep the volume of blood low, resulting in less pressure against the walls of the veins and arteries.
In certain patients, Tenoretic® may lead to heart failure. The drug lowers the heart rate and the strength of the heart beat, so patients with a low heart rate or an arrhythmia can suffer adverse effects when using this drug. Doctors will take these factors into account before prescribing Tenoretic® to a patient.
Taken as a pill, Tenoretic® only needs to be administered once a day. Over time, the medication will cause symptoms to improve, though it does not cure the cause of the symptoms. This means that a patient who experiences a decrease in blood pressure while using the drug must continue taking it once a day to prevent his blood pressure from increasing again. Taking more or less of this medication than is prescribed can cause serious illness or death.
