antihypertensive drug

Antihypertensive drugs are medications used to treat hypertension, a condition characterized by abnormally high blood pressure. Hypertension occurs when blood vessels narrow, forcing the heart to work harder and potentially leading to heart enlargement, failure, and damage to blood vessels in the kidneys, brain, and eyes. Blood pressure is measured by systolic (heart contracting) and diastolic (heart relaxing) pressures; a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher indicates hypertension.

There are two main types of hypertension: essential (primary), which has no identifiable cause and affects 90-95% of patients, and secondary, which is linked to an underlying disease. Various external agents, including certain medications, can also raise blood pressure. Malignant hypertension is a severe, life-threatening form requiring immediate medical attention.

Treatment for hypertension involves lifestyle changes such as stress relief, dietary management, exercise, weight reduction, and smoking cessation. Medications, including diuretics, beta-blockers, vasodilators, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor antagonists, are used to control blood pressure. Some drugs, like statins, primarily used for cholesterol reduction, have also shown promise in lowering blood pressure through mechanisms that may involve vasodilation.123