Antihypertensive agent

Antihypertensive agents (pronounced: an-tee-hy-per-TEN-siv ay-gents) are a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

Etymology

The term "antihypertensive" is derived from "anti-" meaning against, and "hypertensive," referring to high blood pressure.

Definition

Antihypertensive agents are medications that lower blood pressure. They are used to treat hypertension, a condition characterized by consistently high blood pressure. Hypertension can lead to serious health complications, such as stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.

Types of Antihypertensive Agents

There are several types of antihypertensive agents, including:

Diuretics: These increase the excretion of water and salt from the body, reducing blood volume and lowering blood pressure.
Beta blockers: These reduce the heart rate and the heart's output of blood, which lowers blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors: These block the production of a hormone that constricts blood vessels, allowing the vessels to relax and blood pressure to decrease.
Calcium channel blockers: These prevent calcium from entering cells of the heart and blood vessel walls, resulting in lower blood pressure.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs): These block the action of a natural chemical that narrows the blood vessels, allowing the vessels to widen and blood pressure to decrease.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Antihypertensive agent
Wikipedia's article - Antihypertensive agent

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Antihypertensive agent