vasodilator

drug

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

A vasodilator is an agent, such as a drug or nerve fiber, that causes blood vessels to widen or relax. This widening, known as vasodilation, increases the diameter of blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure. Vasodilators are commonly used to treat high blood pressure. They can act directly on the smooth muscle in blood vessel walls or indirectly by affecting the autonomic nervous system. Some drugs that act as calcium channel blockers also function as vasodilators because they relax the smooth muscle in blood vessel walls.1234

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cardiovascular drug
Drugs affecting the blood vessels
…muscle lining to contract and vasodilators when they cause it to relax. Drugs may act directly on the smooth muscle cells, or they may act indirectly—for example, by altering the activity of nerves of the autonomic nervous system that regulate vasoconstriction or vasodilation. Another type of indirect mechanism is the…
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…muscle lining to contract and vasodilators when they cause it to relax. Drugs may act directly on the smooth muscle cells, or they may act indirectly—for example, by altering the activity of nerves of the autonomic nervous system that regulate vasoconstriction or vasodilation. Another type of indirect mechanism is the…
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hypertension
Treatment
Vasodilators act by relaxing smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels, allowing small arteries to dilate and thereby decreasing total peripheral resistance. Calcium channel blockers promote peripheral vasodilation and reduce vascular resistance. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors inhibit the generation of a potent vasoconstriction agent…
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Vasodilators act by relaxing smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels, allowing small arteries to dilate and thereby decreasing total peripheral resistance. Calcium channel blockers promote peripheral vasodilation and reduce vascular resistance. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors inhibit the generation of a potent vasoconstriction agent…
Read More