Vasodilators

What are Vasodilators?

Vasodilators are medicines that dilate (widen) blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily through. Some act directly on the smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessels. Other have a central effect, and regulate blood pressure most likely through the vasomotor center located within the medulla oblongata of the brain.

Vasodilators are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina and heart failure.

Vasodilators are drugs that open your blood vessels. Your provider may prescribe vasodilators to treat high blood pressure, chest pain or heart failure. Most people take vasodilators as part of an overall treatment plan. To improve your heart health, you also need to eat a nutritious diet, exercise and manage stress.

Vasodilation increases blood flow to the body’s tissues. In response to a need for oxygen or nutrients, tissues can release endogenous vasodilators. The result is a decrease in vascular resistance and an increase in capillary perfusion. A common example of this vasodilation response occurs during exercise.

Vasodilators are medicines that open, also called dilate, blood vessels. Vasodilators affect the muscles in the walls of the arteries and veins. They prevent the muscles from tightening and the walls from narrowing.

A list of common vasodilators includes:

ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin®) or lisinopril (Prinivil®, Zestril®).
ARBs such as losartan (Cozaar®).
CCBs such as diltiazem (Cardizem®, Tiazac®).
Other direct vasodilators such as hydralazine (Apresoline®), minoxidil (Loniten®) or nitroglycerin (Nitrostat®).