Final answer:
Morphine is not typically used in treating non-acute essential hypertension. Drugs commonly prescribed for hypertension include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers, which all work to lower blood pressure through different mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
This is NOT typically used for treating non-acute essential hypertension. Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and Calcium channel blockers are all widely used in the treatment of hypertension, as they have mechanisms that lower blood pressure. Morphine, on the other hand, is an opioid analgesic used primarily for pain relief and would not be a standard treatment for hypertension.
Diuretics, such as loop diuretics, work by decreasing the reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the kidneys, which increases urine production and reduces blood volume, thereby lowering blood pressure. ACE inhibitors and ARBs directly interrupt the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which is a primary regulatory mechanism of blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers reduce blood vessel constriction by inhibiting the flow of calcium ions into heart and smooth muscle cells. Each of these classes of medications is common in the stepping care approach for patients who have not reached target blood pressure levels through lifestyle changes alone.