High blood pressure medication could be causing headaches and impotence

However, high blood pressure medication can cause side effects among patients.

Patients under the age of 55 are usually offered ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-2 receptor blocker (ARB),

However, for patients aged 55 or older, or those who are any age and are of African or Caribbean origin will usually be offered a calcium channel blocker.

The most common side effect of ACE inhibitors is believed be a drug cough, but people can suffer with headaches or dizziness.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril, are used to treat high blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels.

The medication can cause side effects including angioedema – which occurs when the body mistakes a substance for something which is dangerous and releases chemicals in the body to fight it – which can cause the skin to swell.

One woman contacted GPs on This Morning after her tongue began to swell up.

However, if people struggle with ACE inhibitors, they are usually prescribed ARBs, which work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors.

Side effects can include dizziness, headaches or cold and flu symptoms.

Calcium channel blockers can cause swollen ankles, headaches and constipation.

Experts have also previously warned drinking grapefruit juice with the medication can increase the risk of side effects.

An article, published in the BMJ by Munir Pirmohamed said: “Grapefruit juice, which is widely consumed for its positive health benefits, can have severe, sometimes fatal, interactions with drugs.

“This phenomenon was first identified serendipitously about 20 years ago for the calcium channel antagonist felodipine, and a recent review found that more than 85 drugs can be affected by grapefruit juice.”

Beta-blockers are prescribed by GPs as treatment for high blood pressure – most commonly when other medicines have been tried.

The drugs are also used to treat her failure and angina, and work by decreasing the activity of heart by blocking certain hormones including adrenaline.

While many people taking beta-blockers don’t suffer any symptoms, people can suffer with dizziness, tiredness, blurred vision, cold hands and feet, slow heartbeat, or even diarrhoea.

According to NHS Choices, less common symptoms can include sleep disturbance, loss of sex drive, depression and problems getting or maintaining an erection.

High blood pressure can put extra strain on blood vessels, the heart and other organs such as the brain, kidneys and even eyes.

Persistently high blood pressure can increase the risk of life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

The pressure of blood flowing through the arteries varies at different times in the heartbeat cycle and the systolic pressure measures the pressure when your heart contracts and blood is forced through the arteries.

People can reduce their blood pressure by reducing salt intake, cut back on alcohol, lose weight, exercise regularly, cut down on caffeine, stop smoking and attempt to sleep for six hours every night.

This comes after it was revealed THIS could lower high cholesterol.