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Vasodilators
Vasodilators treat a variety of conditions, including high blood pressure. Find out more about this class of medication.
By Mayo Clinic staffVasodilators are medications that open (dilate) blood vessels. They work directly on the muscles in the walls of your arteries, preventing the muscles from tightening and the walls from narrowing. As a result, blood flows more easily through your arteries, your heart doesn't have to pump as hard and your blood pressure is reduced.
Examples of vasodilators
Several vasodilators are available. Which one is best for you depends on your health and the condition being treated.
Examples of vasodilators include:
- Hydralazine
- Minoxidil (in pill form)
(1 of 2)
- Vasodilators: Patient education. MD Consult. http://www.mdconsult.com. Accessed Nov. 18, 2008.
- Initial antihypertensive therapy: Drugdex Consults. Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com/. Accessed Nov. 12, 2008.
- Blood pressure-lowering drugs. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=159. Accessed Nov. 12, 2008.
- Sheps SG, ed. Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2008:190.
