Direct-Acting Vasodilators
July 2011
in “
The journal of clinical hypertension
”
TLDR Hydralazine and minoxidil are blood pressure medications that relax blood vessels, with potential side effects like rapid heartbeat and fluid retention, and are used for severe or pregnancy-related hypertension.
Direct-acting vasodilators, such as hydralazine, minoxidil, and nitrates/nitroprusside, were used to manage hypertension by relaxing various blood vessels. Hydralazine primarily dilated resistance arterioles, increasing cardiac output and often requiring combination with a sympathetic inhibitor and diuretic. Minoxidil, effective for severe hypertension, activated potassium channels in arterial smooth muscle but had significant side effects, including hirsutism. Nitrates and nitroprusside acted as nitric oxide donors, with nitroprusside used in acute settings for hypertensive crises and heart failure. Despite their efficacy, these drugs were typically not first-line treatments due to their side effects and the need for combination therapy.
