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What opens blood vessels?

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Vasodilators are medications that open (dilate) blood vessels. They affect the muscles in the walls of the arteries and veins, preventing the muscles from tightening and the walls from narrowing. As a result, blood flows more easily through the vessels. The heart doesn't have to pump as hard, reducing blood pressure. Some drugs used to treat hypertension, such as calcium channel blockers also dilate blood vessels. But the vasodilators that work directly on the vessel walls are hydralazine and minoxidil.

Uses for vasodilators

Doctors prescribe vasodilators to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in a variety of conditions, such as:

High blood pressure

High blood pressure during pregnancy or childbirth (preeclampsia or eclampsia)

Heart failure

High blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)

Side effects and cautions

Direct vasodilators are strong medications that generally are used only when other medications haven't controlled blood pressure adequately. These medications have a number of side effects, some of which require taking other medications to treat.

Side effects include:

Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)

Heart palpitations

Fluid retention (edema)

Nausea

Vomiting

Headache

Excessive hair growth

Joint pain

Chest pain

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