How Do Vasodilators Work?

Vasodilators are drugs used for relaxing the muscles of the blood vessels to treat severe conditions.

Vasodilators may either act directly on the arteries or veins to relax them or act via different mechanisms to produce dilation. Severe hypertension or angina is caused due to increased resistance of blood flow in the blood vessels. Thus, vasodilators dilate the blood vessels to increase blood flow and relieve pressure.

Vasodilators are given to treat:

• Severe hypertension
• Chronic hypertension
• Hypertensive crisis
• Congestive heart failure
• Spasms of the arteries

Vasodilators can cause the following side effects:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Palpitations
• Postural hypotension (blood pressure quickly drops when you stand up from a sitting or lying position)
• Trembling
• Fever
• Flushing
• Irregular heart rate
• Diarrhea
• Edema
• Seizures

The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible side effects, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these drugs do not cause any harm when you take them along with other medicines. Never stop taking your medication and never change your dose or frequency without consulting your doctor.

Generic and brand names of vasodilators include:

• Alprostadil IV
• Corlopam
• Deponit
• Fenoldopam
• Glyceryl trinitrate transdermal
• Hydralazine
• Loniten
• Minitran
• Minodyl
• Minoxidil
• Minoxidil HTN
• Nipride RTU
• Nitrocine
• NitroDur
• Nitroglycerin transdermal
• Nitropress
• Nitroprusside sodium
• Nylidrin
• Papaverine
• ParaTime SR
• Prostin VR Pediatric
• Sodium Nitroprusside
• Transdermal Nitroglycerin